Australian Major Mitchells Cockatoo

Mixed medium on canvas, ready to hang.

This particular cockatoo is found in arid and semi-arid parts of Australia. They tend to gather in large flocks and look quite spectacular when they take flight. I love how when they turn the colours go from pale pink to white.

Like most cockatoos, they mate for life.

I love how the yellow and red in their crests stands out from the very soft face and breast. I tried to combine the softness of the back feathers in this painting as this particular bird is preening itself. I used the black background to maximise the impact and keep the focus clearly on the subject.

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Paul was born in August 1945. As a child he loved to draw but had no formal training or direction. After school he started window dressing at Myer Melbourne. He was called up for two years in 1966 as a conscript and served one year overseas in the army. Married in Australia in 1974, he began painting murals for children's nurseries. In 1978 he became engrossed in wildlife art. After much research into ornithology and through self-taught efforts and experiments he started to get the hang of it. A few years later he became a member of "The Wildlife Art Society of Australasia" and the very next year won first prize for the best painting. Since that eventful exhibition, many things began to formulate - Paul was included in a book launch in 1990 featuring 70 of the best living traditional artists in Australia. He also had a book published on his own paintings. Australia Post commissioned him in 1991 to do a water bird series of stamps and he was subsequently commissioned by the United Nations to paint a series of endangered species stamps in 1994, which was released in Vienna and New York. Paul has had solo exhibitions in London and Japan, six solo shows in America and two at the exclusive "Raffles" Hotel in Singapore, making his international career blossom. To be chosen to exhibit at the prestigious "Leigh Yawkey Woodson Birds in Art" show in America (80 selected from over 3500 entries) was a "feather in his cap". He was chosen two years running in 1995 and 1996. Paul was honoured with a fellow membership to "The Wildlife Art Society Of Australasia" for services to the society and wildlife art. In 2006, he became the first Australian wildlife artist to have a solo exhibition in Hong Kong. In 2009 he released his second book "Away With The Birds". In 2010 he was featured in a 4-page article in the prestigious "Art In Watercolour" magazine which was released in Paris. Paul uses water based mediums and airbrushed backgrounds to achieve his artwork. His love of painting, with that of his wife, son and daughter make him a truly contented artist.