Inspiration: Introducing our native Barn Owl. These stunning night hunters are always so dreamy to observe, even when they are asleep in their hollow they still have that magic about them. I spent many hours getting lost in drawing their detailed feathers and in doing so developed a whole new level of patience. To be able to capture them in the daylight is truly a treat so it’s a very big thank you to Stephen Jesic for allowing me to use his photo reference!

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 used heat, carbon and soot to achieve the variety of charcoal greys present in the finished artwork.