Stories + Poetry — stories RSS

 A tree made of peoples bodies, Life she embodies, May I speak, Eloquently as I seek...

The Sulphur-crested cockatoo is a large & beautiful bird. And yes, often noisy!    But, have you ever watched the grace of their flight, the way they play with their fellow birds, or open 'hard nuts to crack'?    They feature in much of my work as I see them as messengers who 'keep a look out', always posting one bird higher in the tree to warn the flock of any dangers. These special birds are the totem for Kuku-Thaypan people of the Quinkan Country around Laura. They were also once the emblem on our Kuranda Primary School T-shirts growing up here! When I find them meeting my path, gleaming & sunlit, or screeching and wheeling in the winds, depending...

'Vision of Eternal Freedom', or 'Eyes of Infinity' as I sometimes call it, was painted it in 2008 while still living in the Byron Shire. The opportunity was given to me by my dear old friend D to paint a banner for the DJ booth in 'The Tipi Forest Stage' at 'Splendour in the Grass' 2008. The original measures approx. 250cm wide x 110cm deep. I began with chalk, free-hand on a black piece of fabric, then painted the first layer with white undercoat, then layered acrylic colours for depth, then a final thin layer of fluorescent paints over that, so it glows under UV light too! Another peacekeeping banner, watching over everyone! Wandering by it some nights with it rigged...

Cicadas, Wattle, a Jacaranda, Kangaroos. The setting sun, lighting the head of our rainbowed Serpent, and held at the end by the female Black Cockatoo, heralding the rains that will soon come again to drench the parched land and keep the Rain-forest being just that. "May this painting bring peace, joy and respect for this beautiful place we are privileged to call home, to all who gaze upon it!”

Bird of Paradise debuted in Oz's Pyramid Stage on Minjerribah (Stradbroke Is.) in 2014. At the time I painted it, the horrific plight of West Papua at the political hands of Indonesia was coming to light. Very sadly the atrocities continue, right on our doorstep!! I took the artistic license to paint a cross between a couple of species for both their tail plumes and the black 'heart' breast plate, finally finishing the piece with my hand prints, a prayer for empowerment to the West Papuans, and hoping to draw attention to their situation. Since then I've also often seen it like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of past stories to warm our hearts and activate positive change!