Bird Portraits

The collection of more than 30 oil paintings of bird heads came about in 2006 when I decided to abandon printmaking as my major means of artistic expression. It was a wrench to sell my 30 inch etching press and make the change to painting, but I needed a new challenge. The bird portraits became an interesting subject for me to develop new skills in an unfamiliar medium. 

Many of the ideas came from the display cabinets in the public galleries of the SA Museum. At that time I was unaware of the thousands of bird specimens held in storage in the ornithology department at the museum. Although they were stuffed, I tried to make them appear lively and cheeky as birds are, with a sense of their characters as in life. 
 


11. Little Wattlebird - SOLD
12. Little Wattlebird - SOLD
13. Little Wattlebird - SOLD
14. Red Wattlebird - DESTROYED
15. Common Starling - SOLD
17. Yellow Throated Miner - DESTROYED
19. Little Friarbird - SOLD
2. Australian Magpie - SOLD
20. White Faced (Throat) Chat - SOLD
21. Sandstone Strike Thrush - DESTROYED
22. White Browed Wood Swallow - DESTROYED
23. Olive Backed Oriole - DESTROYED
24. Rufous Scrub Bird - SOLD
25. Little Raven - DESTROYED
26. White Faced Heron - DESTROYED
27. Brush Bronzewing - DESTROYED
28. Clamerous Reed Warbler - SOLD
29. Regent Bowerbird - DESTROYED
3. Australian Magpie - SOLD
30. Western Spinebill - SOLD
31. Cattle Egret - SOLD
5. New Holland Honeyeater
6. New Holland Honeyeater
7. Spiny Cheeked Honeyeater - SOLD
8. Australian Darter - DESTROYED
Australian Darter 1
Australian Darter 2
Australian Magpie 1
Australian Magpie 2
Common Starling
Currawong
Noisy Miner

Bird Portraits

Exhibited as part of 'Rita Hall Museum Studies' at the South Australian Museum 2009


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