White-cheeked Honeyeaters feeding on Illyarie (Eucalyptus erythrocorys)
Posted on August 19, 2020
White cheeked Honeyeaters are common birds within Kings Park Perth.
Often along the coastal sector of the South West of WA, where there is a small eucalypt in flower, there seem to be White-Cheeks; and probably a Red Wattle Bird as well. We also encountered them a little inland from Geraldton WA while living there for a year or so. Up there they seemed to like the thickets of hakea, wattle and grevilleas.
But the plant on which I have seen them most is the Illyarie planted either on roadsides or in parklands.
Dimensions of the painting are: 46cm x 57cm.
Currently with the framer.
Framed price $2950
The Storyteller: Galahs on the gum tree
Posted on July 20, 2020
CHARACTERS OF THE OPEN PLAINS
We have several Galahs visiting our garden and surrounding open land. The antics they get up to when relating to one another is often humorous and appears to be playful. But they also squabble and peck at one another in order to protect their space on a branch or to be near a mate- or so it seems. While they are also known in WA as Pink and Greys, their colouring does vary with soft pinks through to deep or strong pink- particularly around the face- but not always. There is also often a dusky grey “wash” over the feathers on the abdomen. And even under the wings, there are some grey feathers tinged with pink.
This painting was designed to illustrate that fun behaviour of Galahs and while setting out the sketches it came to me that one bird was perched as if telling a story to the others. Thus the title of the painting.
Detail in the painting
This is a watercolour painting on 300gsm Arches Hot Pressed (smooth) Paper. The original image measures 71cm x 52cm wide and is currently unframed.
Available through Aspects of Kings park during the September Spring Festival 2020
Framed price $6500
Honkey Nut Heaven- Red-capped Parrots on a Pink Flowering Marri
Posted on June 24, 2020
THE QUIET PARROTS OF THE WEST
With colours to challenge a harlequin clown, the brilliant Red-capped Parrots are surprisingly not so easily found in a tree. In parts of the south-west corner of Western Australia, they are moderately common birds. Large flowering grevillea shrubs in gardens and Marri trees laden with the bell shaped fruit known locally as “Honkey Nuts are where they are most frequently observed feeding. The female is similar to the male but has duller colouration. Either bird can vary in size from 32cm to 39cm long- which is quite a remarkable difference in length. Red-capped Parrots are endemic to the South-west corner of Western Australia.
Detail in the painting
This is a beautifully framed watercolour painting on 300gsm Arches Hot Pressed (smooth) Paper. The original picture measures 56cm x 42cm wide.
The Original can be obtained from Boranup Gallery
Framed price $3495
Reflections in the Afternoon
Posted on June 8, 2020
Bronzewing Pigeons resting in the early afternoon
Our property consists of natural vegetation including Marri and Jarrah trees with a planted garden designed to attract birds. There are locations in the garden where Bronzewings tend to gather including a resting area underneath Allocasuarinas and tall shrubs. And it is this location that I have tried to portray in this painting of the male and female Common Bronzewings (Phaps chalcoptera). These birds are common around the urban area of Margaret River and surrounding bushland.
This was a three week project beginning with drawings, composition sketches and final painting.
The beautifully framed original is now available from Boranup Gallery.
Picture dimensions are 71cm wide and 51cm high
Price Framed $4250
Hornbills in Paradise: Wreathed Hornbills on Cluster Fig
Posted on May 8, 2020
HORNBILLS ARE INCREDIBLY STUNNING BIRDS
IT WAS JULY 2013 when we visited the Bali Bird Park for the first time and saw for the first time a pair of Wreathed Hornbills. I was totally enchanted by their appearance and wanted to paint their portrait – of course. But it took almost seven years before that happened. And now with the Covid 19 impact I decided to paint just what I have so long wanted too. And here we are: this is a watercolour of the female to the left and male to the right perched on the fascinating Ficus racemose (Cluster Fig). I also first saw this tree in Ubud where we stay in Bali. This is in fact the first non-Australian bird portrait that I have completed.
Wreathed Hornbills are classified as “Vulnerable” due to their apparent inability to adapt to the progressively destructive removal of their natural habitat.
This is a watercolour painting on 300gsm Arches Hot Pressed (smooth) Paper. The original image measures 72cm x 54cm wide .
The Original can be obtained from Boranup Gallery
Framed price $4950
Flame in the Snow: PAIR OF FLAME ROBINS ON A SNOW GUM
Posted on March 14, 2020
We visited the Mount Buffalo and Falls Creek areas last September and were delighted to see so many Flame Robins. They seemed to find food in the snow which I guess could have been insects of some kind. One of the particular aims of the visit was to see the Snow Gums (Eucalyptus pauciflora) which are truly one of the worlds most amazing trees. The branches have colourful longitudinal stripes like broad pin-stripes of pale yellows and grey/blue bark and the occasional green or red bark. The background view is from the Mt Buffalo area.
This is a watercolour painting on 300gsm Arches Hot Pressed (smooth) Paper. The original image measures approx. 35cm x 45cm high.
The Original can be obtained from the artist at this stage.
Framed price POA
Email enquiries (only) are welcome at any stage: spikercs@gmail.com.
Detail from the painting:
Free As – A Welcome Swallow in flight.
Posted on March 5, 2020
Simply elegant and simply beautiful small birds of the rural wetlands and urban verandahs. We notice the while stains on a footpath, look up, and there is the nest with adult birds feeding the chicks in their cosy mud nests. Or, winging over a plain of water in the evening light swooping down and around to collect insects in their little open beaks.
I propose to display the painting at this years Margaret River Region Open Studios event to be held from 25 April to 10 May 2020.
This is a watercolour painting on 300gsm Arches Hot Pressed (smooth) Paper. The original image measures approx. 36cm x 25cm wide.
The Original can be obtained from the artist at this stage.
Framed price $545.
Email enquiries (only) are welcome at any stage.
