Janet Golder Kngwarreye

Janet Golder Kngwarreye is an Alyawarre artist who comes from the prominent artistic Kngwarreye family; Janet is the great granddaughter of perhaps the most acclaimed Aboriginal artist, Emily Kame Kngwarreye (deceased), and is also the granddaughter of highly regarded painter, Polly Ngale. Janet's country is around Boundary Bore, in the Aboriginal homelands region of Utopia, a few hundred kilometres north-east from Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Janet's sister, Belinda Golder Kngwarreye, is also a notable artist. Janet is married to Ronnie Bird who is the son of famous artist, Ada Bird Petyarre (deceased).

Growing up in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Janet was around during the Utopia Women's Batik Group, a landmark project that greatly influenced the early contemporary Aboriginal art movements, and brought recognition to some of the most widely recognised Aboriginal artists and Janet's relatives such as Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Polly Ngale and Gloria Petyarre.  Janet would sit and watch her family members paint, learning the stories and Dreamings.

Acquiring this knowledge, Janet now paints several different stories including Awelye (women's body paint designs), Bush Medicine Leaves, Yam Dreaming and My Country. Janet’s work has been widely exhibited, and she remains a much sought-after artist.