Despite the destructive nature of fires, there is a beauty to the brown, charred lifeless landscape. On the drive down to Wattamolla (NSW Royal National Park) a few weeks back, I was staring out of the car window and really enjoying the nature at 60kmph. For about 10km the roadside bush was scorched but the plants were recognisable and still intact.
Long drives as a passenger are a good opportunity for brewing creative ideas β the brown bush really inspired me and got me thinking about incorporating some of that charred landscape into my work. Certain native flora here in Australia have evolved to rely on bushfires as a means of reproduction, and fire events are an interwoven and an essential part of our ecology.
I like to incorporate Australian birds into my paintings and the Magpie is one of my favourites. His black and white plumage is a lesson in Yin and Yang, representing the duality and balance of life on earth.
I love to paint using Calligraphy brushes and vary the paint consistency from a watery wash (the random watermarks you can see in the grey background), to thick and opaque (the white marks and details on the plumage). Make sure you check out all the photos so you can see the intricate detail of this painting.