Inspiration:
A year of flame, isolation, and plague; through hardships and trust we stand.
Charred skin trees with hollow, ghostly frames; shadeless silhouettes, like scars on the land.
Giant guardians remain still, even after the rains; Buffalo River’s spirit finds a heartbeat on the sand.

  -------- Maegan Oberhardt

Interwoven within ancient cultures and folklore, Sacred Kingfishers appear in many cultural heritage records including Greek Mythology, Native American, Australian Aboriginal, and Polynesian; and are also mentioned in the Bible. They represent peace, prosperity, fertile harvest, and good fortune. Kingfishers are found on most continents where habitat is abundant with prey. Of the 86 known species, ten are native to Australia which includes the largest of all, the kookaburra. The Sacred Kingfisher is a medium sized migratory woodland species with a primary diet of insects and small animals. In nature, their presence is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. 

Artworks by Maegan Oberhardt highlight many species of wildlife native to Australia. This piece forms part of a collection of artwork that expands environments, composition, and the use of compatible media within the piece. The primary connection within her art is in the technique. It is man-made fire burning paper (which is a by-product of trees). This comments on the conflict between man and nature. The result of that conflict is that most wild species are directly impacted by man’s carbon footprint.

This series has had a foundation of watercolour painted on the sketch to create a more accurate depiction of the subject. In addition, soot was utilised to achieve the variety of charcoal greys present in the finished artwork.