This painting was exhibited in the 2023 BirdLife Australia Sydney exhibition between October and November 2023.
As an environmental scientist working in the sustainability field, I spend my days looking at connections such as those that exist between all living things, whether animate or not. Sometimes these connections are not so readily apparent, but they’re almost always vital.
And while my work requires me to focus on the larger picture, my art gives me the freedom to dive deeper and to look more closely.
In this painting, I decided to look at a pale-headed rosella, hidden amongst the branches of the tree it calls home. They are connected, both in terms of composition and of colour palettes. The subject here isn’t a bird, but harmony - without the tree, there would be no bird. In fact, towards the bottom of the painting, the rosella is seemingly melting into the branches around it.
Please note that this painting is framed behind perspex, not glass, to reduce weight.