BIRD - Kookaburra Art

Title: Hunter River Kookaburra
The background is the river near my home and the buildings in the distance are my local shops

Title: At home among the gum trees
The cheeky kookaburra with its beak slightly open, teases the viewers anticipation of the next laugh about to erupt.

Title: Kookaburra Chorus
Three kookaburras perched in the forest.

Australian backyards are hosts to many amazing native and introduced bird species. I am lucky enough to have a few natives that frequent my yard and neighbourhood. These three images are from a series of paintings which explores species observed at or near my home in the Hunter Valley on the eastern coast of Australia.

A kookaburras is a forest kingfisher famous for killing snakes. It is also known as The Laughing Jackass. Often I hear and see kookaburras on the overhead power lines or resting in the tall trees. They are best known for their unmistakable loud call which is like hysterical human laughter. It is the highlight of my day to hear them, their laughter sounds guaranteed to bring a smile to my face as my eyes scan the neighbouring trees to capture a fleeting glance at them.

Since ancient times birds have been regarded as mediators between heaven and earth because of their associations with the sky. They are seen as embodiments of immaterial things, particularly the soul. Wings are often associated with heavenly beings the most obvious is angels.

Angels boldly laugh
as immortal souls fly.
Flapping wings swoop
ending the serpents reign.

These three images were created by hand drawing/painting directly onto a computer using an electronic pen and a digital drawing tablet. They are original works which are copyright protected. The works are for sale as 11x16 inch prints on high quality artist paper. Copyright Hexagonal Mandala Australia 2009