Magpie at Tacking Point Lighthouse

Whilst visiting Tacking Point Lighthouse near Port Macquarie a group of magpies were hanging about on the safety railing near an icecream van. When ever someone bought an icecream they would launch themselves at the falling crushed nuts. They were so brazen they simply wouldn't move if there were any nuts about. As we walked passed, the magpie stood her ground on the railing and wasn't at all intimidated when I whipped out my camera and said "I'm going to paint you miss". I would have been no further than 30cm away from her when I took several reference photos.

So the subject is the female magpie but I wanted more than that hence the nick name "The painting of a million brush strokes" came about. I wanted the grass, weeds, leaf litter etc., to look real and I found myself painting the background for months. The background is a compound of eight layers of different coloured greenery and wood chips etc. It wouldn't surprise me if I had used a million brush strokes.

I will also include some of the brushes that I have used and worn out in this painting.

Thank you for looking.

Rob Kennedy

I have nick named this painting "The painting of a million brushstrokes.