RARE
Rare is my very first solo exhibition. I have been working steadily throughout the year to paint a number of endangered species local to Victoria and surrounding states. Working on these unique, colourful, and diverse species through this year of being locked at home has helped me to stay connected to the beauty and inspiration of nature. Focusing so closely on each animal as I paint, really re-ignites my awe of the natural world. I am in constant amazement at its infinite complexity, and how each organism, no matter how large or small can have such an effect on the function of the wider ecosystem. I hope that through my work, I am able to bring awareness to the more vulnerable species in our local environments. I hope my amazement of nature is carried forward through my paintings and that they might inspire a spark of wonder in those who see them.
The animals I have selected for my paintings* are from a list of twenty-seven local species that are facing extinction. They are the focus of Zoos Victoria conservation efforts. As such I will be donating 10% of any original paintings sold to Zoos Victoria to aid in their conservation work, to help these animals. For any further information on these species or the work that is being done to save them you can visit Zoos Victoria’s website: Zoos Victoria
Ordering Prints
If you are interested in ordering fine art prints of any of the paintings in this exhibition, follow the link here to order online from my Etsy shop.
Prints will be open edition and made to order, so please allow one to two weeks for orders to be processed and sent.
Acknowledgements
I would like to first acknowledge the Wurundjeri People, the Traditional Owners of the land on which this exhibition takes place. I pay my respects to their Elders, past, present, and emerging.
There are many people to thank for their help in bringing this exhibition into being.
I would not have been able to even begin my work for this exhibit without the generosity and kindness of a number of wildlife photographers and organisations that allowed me to use their photos as reference images for my paintings. I had hoped to be able to take my own photos and sketch and draw from life, however, with travel restrictions etc. this was not possible. So to:
Alisha Aitken (at Gumbaya World)
Barry Baker
Tim Bawden
Matthew Clancy
Angus Donaldson
Michael McFadden
Angus McNab
Difficult Birds Research Group
Manaaki Whenua (Landcare Research New Zealand)
Thank you for making this exhibition possible.
Thank you also to Montsalvat for having me as a studio artist and giving me the opportunity to have this exhibition. Thank you to my wonderful Nature in Art class at Canterbury Neighbourhood Centre, both my teacher Terry Napier and the other amazing students there, who are always fantastic for spring boarding ideas and are ever supportive. Thank you to Michelle and Janusz at Indec Art for your help and attention to detail with framing. Thank you to my dear friends and family for always supporting me, and to Gabriel for believing in me even when I do not.
References
Australian Museum 2020, Bogong Moth, Australian Museum, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/bogong-moth/>
Australian Museum 2021, Giant Burrowing Frog, Australian Museum, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://australian.museum/learn/animals/frogs/giant-burrowing-frog/>
Congdon O 2019, The super-navigational abilities of the bogong moth, Australian Academy of Science, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.science.org.au/curious/earth-environment/super-navigational-abilities-bogong-moth>
Cox, L 2021, Orange-bellied parrots leave Tasmania in biggest ever numbers for annual migration, The Gaurdian, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/apr/22/orange-bellied-parrots-leave-tasmania-in-biggest-ever-numbers-for-annual-migration>
Department of the Environment 2021, Litoria spenceri, Department of the Environment, viewed 1 December 2021, < http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=25959>
The Nature Conservancy Australia 2021, Australia’s Endangered Animals, The Nature Conservancy Australia, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.natureaustralia.org.au/what-we-do/our-priorities/wildlife/wildlife-stories/australias-endangered-animals/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAtJeNBhCVARIsANJUJ2GWLZGtu37wMR9EHBOFBTJIJbAWTty3-6TcpZX7f9FRnYVXGALhKM0aAll4EALw_wcB#possum>
Victoria State Government 2021, Leadbeater’s Possum, Victoria State Government, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/our-wildlife/leadbeaters-possum>
Zoos Victoria, Giant Burrowing Frog, Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/fighting-extinction/local-threatened-species/giant-burrowing-frog/>
Zoos Victoria, Giant Burrowing Frog, Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/media/3068/giant-burrowing-frog.pdf>
Zoos Victoria, Leadbeater’s Possum (Lowland population), Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/fighting-extinction/local-threatened-species/leadbeaters-possum-lowland-population/>
Zoos Victoria, Leadbeater’s Possum, Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/media/3048/leadbeaters-possum.pdf>
Zoos Victoria, Mallee Emu-wren, Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/fighting-extinction/local-threatened-species/mallee-emu-wren/>
Zoos Victoria, Mallee Emu-wren, Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/media/3050/mallee-emu-wren.pdf>
Zoos Victoria, Mountain Pygmy-possum, Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/fighting-extinction/local-threatened-species/mountain-pygmy-possum/>
Zoos Victoria, Orange-bellied Parrot, Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/fighting-extinction/local-threatened-species/orange-bellied-parrot/>
Zoos Victoria, Spotted Tree Frog, Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/fighting-extinction/local-threatened-species/spotted-tree-frog/>
Zoos Victoria, Spotted Tree Frog, Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/media/3060/spotted-tree-frog.pdf>
Zoos Victoria, Southern Corroboree Frog, Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/fighting-extinction/local-threatened-species/southern-corroboree-frog/>
Zoos Victoria, Southern Corroboree Frog, Zoos Victoria, viewed 1 December 2021, <https://www.zoo.org.au/media/3059/southern-corroboree-frog.pdf>
*Except the Bogong Moth.
**Except for the baby Orange-bellied Parrot painting, where 10% will be donated to the Difficult Birds Research Group.