Fragile Beauty, Rich and Rare 2021

Series of Ten Artworks

Exhibited At the Royal Botanical Garden in Sydney April 2021

Maunsell Wickes Gallery in Paddington November 2021

Biophilia Bouquet, Edition of 10 (SOLD OUT) @ 100cm x 80 cm, Edition of 5 (available) @ 115 cm x 145 cm.

Winner of the 2021 National Trust Heritage Awards for Events and Exhibitions

Winner of the Still Life Series - Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Female Artists 2021

READ Feature Article about this work in “Australian Photography Magazine October 2021

READ Feature Article in “Floresta Magazine” 2021

READ Feature Article in “Galah Magazine”, Issue 2, 2021

Featured

Biophilia Bouquet (Australian Threatened Species)

“Biophilia Bouquet” is the final piece created in my “Fragile Beauty, Rich and Rare” series. This work features some of Australia’s most endangered birds including the Orange Bellied Parrot, the Palm Cockatoo, the Regent Honeyeater, the Gouldian Finch, the Carnaby’s Cockatoo, the Baudin’s Cockatoo, the Bush Stone Curlew, the Superb Parrot and the Forest Red Tail Black Cockatoo. All sixty five (65) flora species in this artwork are threatened with extinction and have been photographed by me throughout Australia at conservation gardens under the guidance of specialists including well known species such as the Wollemi Pine and the lesser known Banksia Vincentia. Without flora, there will be no fauna.

Finalist in the Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2021, National Still Life Art Prize 2021, Northern Beaches Environmental Art Prize 2021.

Still Life Bound

“Still Life Bound” is my first artwork in this series and features endangered flora from throughout Australia, along with the critically endangered Orange Bellied Parrot.

Once Were Wildflowers (Western Australia)

This photographic artwork is comprised entirely of flora and fauna from one of the global hotspots for biodiversity..Western Australia. Featuring the Carnaby’s Cockatoo and the Forest Red Tail Black Cockatoo along with 30 species of rare or endangered flora, the artwork highlights the beauty of our species while acknowledging the biodiversity crisis.

Winner of the “Packing Room Prize”, Kangaroo Valley Art Prize October 2020

Hopeful Honeyeaters (New South Wales)

The critically endangered Regent Honeyeater, native to New South Wales, features in this artwork. It also includes 31 rare, vulnerable or endangered flora species that are endemic to the State of New South Wales in Australia including the Wollemi Pine, the extremely rare Banksia Vincentia and the Dwarf Mountain Pine.

Finalist Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize 2021

Poised Palms (Queensland)

“Poised Palms” features the ancient Palm Cockatoo as well the double eyed fig parrot. The Palm Cockatoo is endemic to far North Queensland and its numbers have decreased significantly in recent years. As such, there are calls for it to be listed as endangered. The flora in this artwork are all endemic to the State of Queensland and listed as rare, vulnerable or endangered.

The Wisdom of Birds (Northern Territory)

The Wisdom of Birds, featuring the Critically Endangered Gouldian Finch along with the endangered Acacia Peuce, Livistona Marae subspecies Mariae and vulnerable Actinotus schwarzii (Desert Flannel-flower). This artwork also features the beautiful book “The Wisdom of Birds” by Tim Birkhead.

Orange Bellied Parrot Party (Tasmania)

The critically endangered Orange Bellied Parrot breeds in Tasmania during the summer months and then migrates across the Bass Strait to Southeastern Australia. These stunning birds are featured in this artwork along with threatened flora endemic to Tasmania.

Curlew Rendezvous (Victoria)

Featuring the endangered Bush Stone Curlew, endemic to Victoria, as well as threatened flora species endemic to this State.

Cockatoo Blues (South Australia)

The Glossy Black Cockatoo is endemic to Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia. The island was engulfed in flames during the 2019-2020 bushfires which saw 50 to 70 percent of their habitat affected. Despite concerted efforts by conservationists, the long-term survival of this sub-species is now very tenuous. This artwork entitled "Cockatoo Blues" features these cockatoos along with threatened flora species all endemic to South Australia.

Superbs Unperturbed (Australian Capitol Territory)

This artwork features the Superb Parrot, a bird with declining numbers in several States, including the ACT. Also highlighted are endangered flora species from this small Capitol State.

**2021 Heritage Award Winner for Exhibitions and Events**

As a photographic artist, I am particularly drawn to the extraordinary and unique beauty of Australia’s natural heritage. My recent works highlight environmental issues confronting this beauty. Incorporating the visual clues and symbolism of 17th century Still Life artworks, the viewer is invited to reflect on both the beauty of the flora and fauna and the darkness within the underlying message. The work asks the viewer to contemplate the complexity around biodiversity rather than escape from it.

Using the powerful medium of photography to tell a story, my process involves much research and consultation, followed by purposeful photography. From thousands of photographs, I curate the best, and then start the compositing process. This involves using sophisticated editing techniques to select what I would like to remain visible, then deconstruct, layer, arrange, and create what eventually becomes the final composition.

In this body of work, I tell a story not often told, that of Australia’s threatened flora. Many of these beautiful specimens are short lived, elusive and not known to the general public. Adding to this narrative, I have incorporated photographs of Australia’s most endangered birds. All of these photographs have been taken by myself at conservation gardens and wildlife refuges throughout Australia under the guidance of horticultural specialists and wildlife carers. By co-opting photographs of live collections of Australia's imperilled plants and endangered birds into contemporary artworks, these pieces sit somewhere within documentary, staged and creative photography. This body of work is a timely reminder of the importance of documenting, protecting and preserving the threatened biodiversity of Australia.

For this body of work, I have created 10 works…two Australian pieces, and then one for Each State and Territory of Australia that represents species that are threatened in their geographic location.

Limited Edition of 10 @ 80 cm x 100 cm

Limited Edition of 5 @ 115 cm x 145 cm

BACK TO HOME