Inspiration: The Bright yellow spots on the crest of these lovely darlings was the focus and also the inspiration for this artwork. They always reminded me of the stars in the night sky so I tried to replicate that wonder by depicting a more intimate shot of our Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. Her soft eyes almost get lost in the hundred stars on her face but I feel like that is even more a part of her charm.

This piece forms part of a themed collection that is focused on protected, threatened, and endangered Australian species. Through the expansion of European settlement, many species have been displaced by human encroachment, changing fire patterns, victims of predation, or have been exposed to disease. Raising awareness remains as the most significant challenge in the effort to reduce these possible outcomes. These represent the absence of the existence of wildlife in their natural environments.

This series has specifically utilised watercolour, flame and soot to achieve the varying golden browns and charcoal greys present in the finished artwork.