Jessie Bird Ngale - Alpar Story 30x30cm

Artwork Name: Alpar Story

Artist: Jessie Bird Ngale

Size: 30cm x 30cm un-stretched canvas

Item Code: 10068

Art Story

Alpar (rat-tail plant) Story, Awelye (women's ceremony and body paint designs), women's stories, bush foods, Country, lnpemp (little whistle bird).

Jessie is the eldest daughter of renowned artist Lindsay Bird Mpetyane, and her mother is Mavis Bird Petyarre. Her two younger sisters are Rosie and Karen. Jessie has had the advantage of an Aboriginal education as well as a European education. She attended Mulga Bore (Akaye School) Primary and Yirara College in Alice Springs. Encouraged to develop her artistic talents by her family when quite young, Jessie would assist other family members with their work.

Her first paintings for Mbantua Gallery were in 1994. These earlier works comprised of very neat patterns of dots when describing her country, and strong, bold linear patterns when illustrating women's stories and body paint. Today Jessie's work is more refined as she explores new ideas to portray her stories from Ilkawerne Country.

Jessie also works as a teacher's aid at the Mulga Bore Primary School and helps to 'grow­up' some of the younger children in her large extended family.