Collection: EILEEN BIRD NUNGARRAYI

Eileen was born in Eastern Arrernte country. She spent her formative years near Hearts Range which is approximately 215km northeast of Alice Springs.

She married Paddy Bird (now deceased) who was also an artist and the son of the famous artist Ada Bird Petyarre. They had eleven children, and many went onto becoming artists including, Maggie and Tanya Bird as well as numerous grandchildren. 

Eileen started painting in the late 90s depicting the stories around Women’s Ceremonies including the Body Paint designs painted onto the top half of the women. She also paints the dreaming Arlatyeye, Bush Yam/Bush Potato which was an important food source of her ancestors. The Yam grows underground like the common yam and a vine like shrub above ground. The women traditionally collect the yam and gather the leaves/vine above ground for medicine which was used topically to treat cuts, wounds, and minor skin irritations.

The seeds of the yam can be seen as the dot work and the yam depicted by the grey tube- like shapes.

This painting was purchased in 2006 and relatively early in her career.

Eileen resides in the Utopia region with her extended family.