Far Seeing.

A Wedge-tailed Eagle looking beyond the viewer, in front of the Prawn Nebula.

The wedge-tailed eagle is one of the world’s most powerful avian predators. They are the largest bird of prey native to Australia with a maximum reported wingspan of 2.84 m and a length of up to 1.06m.

This very large but fairly lanky eagle has long, fairly broad wings, fully feathered legs and an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail, hence the name. The wedge-tailed eagle is one of 12 species of large, predominantly dark-coloured booted eagles in the genus Aquila found worldwide. Genetic research has clearly indicated that the wedge-tailed eagle is fairly closely-related to other, generally quite large members of the Aquila genus.
Preferred habitats tend towards those that have a fairly varied topography including rocky areas, some open terrain and native woodlots such as Eucalyptus stands.

I've painted quite a few emission nebulae - the Prawn nebula being one of them. Also known as IC 4628, this nebula is located in the constellation Scorpius and has a diameter of 250 light years across or 3-4 times the size of the full Moon as seen from Earth!

The Prawn Nebula was discovered by the American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard around 1900. It is a stellar nursery that contains many very hot, luminous, young stars, formed out of the surrounding gas. Included in this region are two large, hot, blue-white giants belonging to the rare spectral class O. These O-type stars burn bright and fast before ending their relatively short lives as supernovae and collapsing into either neutron stars or black holes. The blue giants in IC 4628 will end their lives after only about a million years. These two O-type and other young stars in this nebula are responsible for illuminating the surrounding gas. The stars emit an enormous amount of ultraviolet radiation which ionises the hydrogen gas in the nebula, making it glow.

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I am blessed with being able to work full-time as a professional artist in my studio at GIGS Artists' Studios, Gateway Village, Wodonga. Although I have exhibited regularly I am always exploring new avenues including murals, some of which I've completed locally and abroad.

Two of my great passions in life are the environment and painting. Through painting I question our role in relation with nature as I seek to spread the awareness that the natural world is threatened both directly by human abuse and indirectly by overpopulation. It is obvious that we – modern society – have become increasingly detached from nature and in order to secure a place for future generations (all species alike) it is vital that we tune ourselves in with the environment and regain greater awareness of our planet and thus take better responsibility of it.

I have the belief that artists and art-making has the potential to point out the importance of environmental integrity – through speaking to emotion and passion for nature. Admiration for nature is intrinsic for all of us, yet it is something we deny or neglect through day-to-day living. As artists, we have the capability to connect with society and direct public attention. My work is intended to inspire change that may help sustain a healthy planet.