Modern Life is Rubbish

This painting lifts the status of this unpopular bird to one of majesty, usually reserved for cranes in Oriental art.

Unwelcome and commonly referred to as ‘Bin Chickens’ and ‘Trash Turkeys’; the Sacred White Ibis is a native bird found in urban areas throughout Australia. They were rare in our cities 30 years ago, but the loss of their natural habitat has forced them into populated areas to scavenge on human rubbish.

The title of this work represents the Ibis’ perspective on modern life rather than our’s, and is from the Blur album of the same name.

Sometimes I look at our Ibis feeding in the Cook’s River or the wetlands at Sydney Park, and with the help of the Pine trees and water, they remind me of an oriental scene. The question is: Can we love them more if they are re-packaged and presented to us in a natural environment like the scene in this painting? And rather than ‘hating on our displaced wildlife’, shouldn’t we be more accountable for the destruction of the environment?

The pared back colour palette of blues, greys and antique blush pink combined with the Neon orange bird tag on the leg of the bird gives this piece a contemporary edge, and it’s purpose is to jolt the viewer out of the beauty of the decorative scene and remind us of the urban modern day context of the subject matter.

This work would make a fantastic statement on your wall and features many hours of intricate detail. Please see the extra photos for a close look at the detail of the painting. This painting has been professionally framed in a black deep box frame with an 8cm ivory border mount on all sides. The framed dimensions of the painting are: 77.5cm x 96.6cm x 5cm deep.

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I’ve been making art for most of my life, though the path here hasn’t been completely straightforward. What was meant to be a one-year trip from the UK to Sydney in 1994 somehow turned into a permanent move, and Australia has felt like home ever since.
A lot of my work begins outdoors; walking, noticing plants growing through fences, strange colour combinations in nature, or bringing home flowers and cuttings to paint in the studio. Painting has always been a way for me to slow down and pay attention. It’s where I feel most myself.
Before returning to painting full-time in 2015, I worked across surface pattern design, printmaking and graphic design, and those influences still shape the way I paint today; through colour, rhythm, line and composition. I’m also deeply inspired by the simplicity and spontaneity of Chinese and Japanese ink painting, calligraphy and woodblock prints, though my work has gradually evolved into something much looser and more contemporary over time.
Since returning to full-time practice, my work has been exhibited in solo and group shows across Australia and selected as a finalist in prizes including the Calleen Art Award, Lethbridge Prize, Bluethumb Art Prize and the National Contemporary Watercolour Prize. My paintings and prints have also been licensed onto homewares and collected internationally.
I still feel genuinely grateful that I get to spend my days painting, and I hope that sense of joy, calm and curiosity finds its way into the work itself.