This painting was inspired by that brief moment just after sunrise, when the light cuts through the forest and everything feels awake but still quiet.
The early sun becomes the focal point here, glowing through dense foliage and casting warm yellows and oranges against cooler blues, greens and violets. I wanted the light to feel strong but not harsh — more like a steady presence moving through the trees.
The three Carnaby’s black cockatoos passing through the scene add a sense of movement and life. They’re not the subject as such, but part of the rhythm of the forest — something you notice, then watch disappear.
As with all my work, I began with an acrylic underpainting before building up layers of oil paint to bring depth, colour and atmosphere. This piece is about light, space, and that calm energy you feel at the start of the day.