Bessie Petyarre is the daughter of a senior, well known artist from the Utopia region, Polly Ngale and she grew up observing both her mother's work and that of other famous women artists of the region including the famous Emily Kame Kngwarreye.

Bessie's work features the story of the Bush Plum which is both a major food source for people of the region and an important creation story. Bush Plums are harvested over a short time each year and dried for use at other times of the year. The Dreaming story includes that of Atnwelarr which is the plant itself and Kame - its seed. The creation story is based on that of two seeds - one belonging to Alhalkere and Atnangkere country and the other belonging to Arnumarra country. The seeds created two different species of the pencil yam.

She creates her paintings by building up layer upon layer of colour to create multi-dimensional images. As well as her paintings of Bush Plum which are a favoured subject other works depict designs associated with Awelye, Womens business and ceremonial law. Her paintings are borne from traditional knowledge and her confident approach to painting can be seen in the way she assembles her work piling dots upon each other to create rich thick fields employing glowing palettes of colour. Her subject matter is drawn from acute observation and memory. Intimate knowledge of country, personal history and ancestral journey. Seamless in her portrayal of these elements her paintings are sensory mind maps that reveal the artists place, and her sense of self all within one framework.