Chirika

On my walks as a child, I tended to see a lot of different animals, in the forests and lakes around my home. But, the kingfisher was more elusive & often harder to spot because of its size. I was lucky enough to capture some photos, & I have used these as my inspiration for this artwork. "Chirika" means bird, hence the reason for choosing this name. I like to name all of my animals, as this brings them to life, for me. I also paint their eyes first, as they are the mirror to the soul. Airbrushing with ink, allows me to showcase his beautiful feathers and adds a realism to this painting. I'm hoping buyers will see him as a gorgeous bird, showcasing the best of Australia and it's natives.

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I am an internationally renowned artist who specialises in Airbrushing Art. Eight years ago I decided to do an Airbrushing course and have now embarked on an amazing journey into the world of ink and air.

I have been doing art my whole life. My best days were spent in the forest looking for fairies with my grandparents and I gained a love of nature and animals.

I loved airbrushing cars and bikes and found that I was also starting to receive commissioned work – the majority being of pets. I needed more space to be able to paint without having to move pieces I was working on. So early 2016, my sister and I opened our art studio 2 Sisters where we paint our commissioned pieces as well.

I enjoy being able to paint and draw all different types of animals, women, landscapes and seascapes. My favourite subjects include gorillas, lions, snow leopards, dogs and many more. There is something so intriguing about trying to capture an animal’s spirit and I particularly love painting the furry kind. You can really get lost in the serenity of airbrushing and quite often I find that if I am painting I can easily zone out without noticing! The sound of the air and the repetition required to do details of fur in particular is so soothing and therapeutic too.

I am fortunate to have been published three times and have been a finalist in many Australian and International competitions and have exhibited at some of these. Later this year, will be my first special exhibition solely with my sister at Pine Ridge Gallery.