Rochelle Mbtjana Bird

Rochelle grew up around Mulga Bore on the Utopia Homeland learning a traditional way of life. She went to school in Alice Springs and then boarded at Cormilda College Darwin, where she made many friends.

Encouraged by family, particularly her mother, established artist Janet Golder Kngwarreye, Rochelle started painting in her late twenties. Rochelle continues the family line and paints her country in vibrant colour and great detail. She has a terrific eye. She also paints her father’s stories, the “Alparra Seed”, but in a different style to him. She also loves to paint her grandmothers bright bold “Bush Plum”.

Bush plums are her favourite. Rochelle loves to eat the small fruit, collected from bushes on her country. When ripe, the bush plum is juicy and sweet. Rochelle paints from her home north east of Adelaide.