Karen Bird Ngale

Alpar (Rat-tail plant) |  90h x 60w  |  RK812

Not framed or stretched  |  Acrylic on primed linen

Karen Bird Ngale is the youngest daughter of prominent Utopian artist, and senior elder, Lindsay Bird Mpetyane. She is also the younger sister to fellow artists Rosie and Jessie Bird.

One of Karen's main dreamtime stories is the Alpar (Rat-tail plant). The plant itself is a small, heavily scented plant with a spike like flower. It is the clusters of this spiky flower, that resembles the rat-tail. There is also a black seed which is part of the plant, she often depicts this by painting black dot work to represent the seeds all dried up and ready to collect.

Karen is an emerging artist and her paintings have a strong following.