Janet Golder Kngwarreye / Bush Leaves (5A)

Janet was born c. 1975 and is a member of the Kngwarreye family. Worthy of note is the fact that this is the same family of the late and famous artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye.

Janet has developed her own style and for someone who is still very young, has earned an excellent name for herself in the art world. Her future looks very promising and consequently, her works are already very collectable both here in Australia and overseas

She is married to Ronnie Bird Jungala whose father is the very well known and respected artist and Elder Lindsay Bird Mpetyane. His mother is International Artist Ada Bird Petyarre (dscd), one of the famous seven Petyarre sisters.

Both Janet and her husband’s families are well known and looked up to, and they have a very long history of creating from their Dreamings, some beautiful and much sought after works of art which are held in many great Art Galleries, Museums and private collections Worldwide.

Janet paints the Desert Yam (or Bush Plum) story from her family’s country. The yam grows underground with its viny shrub growing above ground up to one metre high. It is normally found on Spinifex sand plains and produces large flowers after summer rain. The yam is a tuber, or swollen root, of the shrub and tastes much like the common sweet potato. It can be eaten raw or cooked and is still a staple food for the desert aborigines where it can be harvested at any time of the year. It is also renowned for its medicinal properties. This medicine is used to heal cuts, wounds, bites, rashes and as an insect repellent. In this painting, Janet depicts the leaves of the yam paying homage to the spirit of this special plant in the hope that it will regenerate.