Gladioli on Black

I loved how setting these vibrant yellow-green gladioli off against their flat black background really makes these flowers pop. The crisp shape of the black triangle also contrasts beautifully with the rippled edges of those gorgeous petals. The remaining negative space is left clear to showcase the subtle woodgrain pattern of the birch panel.

The birch cradled panel is ready to hang with or without a frame, and featured a satin varnish to avoid reflections.

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Whether it is birds, insects, botanicals or scenery, Alex Louisa's work captures all that fascinates her about nature. Brisbane based, she has been exhibiting within Australia since 2007, and internationally since 2012. She loves to pair highly detailed subjects next to unexpected backgrounds, such as splashy abstracts, experimental textures, crisp geometric patterns, or the sheer beauty of untouched woodgrain.

Often experimenting with mixed media, Alex mainly works with oils, watercolour, PanPastel, and charcoal. She focuses on elements of the natural world that grab her attention - by discovering the intricacies of a leaf or flower, or by trying to capture an animal's individual personality. She is constantly drawn to studying her surroundings and would love to eventually capture all of her favourite landscapes in paint, but birds will forever be her favourite subject. After all, her first word was "bird," so she's a bird-lover from way back.