Janet Golder Kngwarreye

c.1928 –

Region: Utopia, Northern Territory

Language: Anmatyerre

Janet godler Kngwarreye was born in 1973.  She is married to Ronnie Bird Jungala who is the son of the well known artist Ada Bird.  Her mother Margaret Golder and father Sammy Petyarre are also established artists. Her grandmother was world renowned indigenous artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye and her grandfather is Kudditji Kngwarreye.

Janet grew up in Alice Springs but moved to Utopia when she was a teenager. Growing up in this area she used to sit and watch her grandmother and grandfather paint. Janet is related to many of the famous Utopian artists including Gloria Petyarre and Evelyn Pultara.

Janet paints several different stories relating to her dreamings, including body painting, bush leaves and yam dreaming. “Body painting are the designs that are painted on women’s upper torso, primarily across the breasts for ceremony. Bush Leaves”, the leaves of a bush are collected and eaten by the tribe.