Inspiration: Our smallest, most adorable owl can be found all over Australia. If you happen to be walking out and around the bush at night, be sure to keep an ear out as you’ll hear a *Boo-Book* before you might see one! This little guy was waiting for the sun to go down before starting his day or should I be saying ‘night’ of hunting. I guess he isn’t much of a morning person as he wasn’t very happy about being woken up! 

The Southern Boobook is the smallest, most common species of ‘hawk owl’, and inhabits the widest range of environments. Being carnivorous and nocturnal, they will hunt whatever food source is available that is small enough to consume. The variety allows opportunity, and this is one reason why they have flourished across different environments. Their repetitive two note call is so distinctive that they are often heard before they are seen.  Displacement through the destruction of natural habitat as well as introduced predatory threats continue to challenge localised populations. 

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 specifically utilised heat, flame, and soot to achieve the varying golden browns and charcoal greys present in the finished artwork.