Dr Megan Spiers

Red-rumped Parrots (Psephotus haematonotus)

inspiration

Birds on a wire is a recurring theme in my work.

I find the contrast between human-made forms and natural forms to be very appealing in an artistic sense.

I like the challenge of creating a truthful portrayal of different textural forms – the gnarled surface of old fenceposts, oxidised wire, delicate soft plumage. Achieving it brings great satisfaction. Not least because I draw upon the remembered sensory experience of each texture.

I designed this artwork after birdwatching on the Murray River, South Australia. A flock of red-rumped parrots gathered on power lines at dusk and this fleeting image of a companionable pair stayed in my mind until I painted it.

artist’s process

• balance in composition doesn’t necessarily require symmetry
• I create a thumbnail sketch then use pencil to draw the design directly onto the canvas board