Pied Kingfisher Painting

I am a South African artist who enjoys painting art for nature lovers and to encourage nature conservation. I have always enjoyed participating and in creative activities whether it be wrapping a present so that it looks attractive or doodling while on the phone. Vision is the most powerful human sense and I notice the small things in design and colour wherever I go. I live in South Africa where the landscapes and wildlife is breathtaking and hard not to capture through painting. I also love to travel and a few of my paintings reflect inspiring moments during these travels including tropical beaches and snowy forests. I paint in a photo realism and impressionism style using oil and acrylic paint on stretched canvas. I enjoy painting wildlife, particularly birds. I am South African and find the South African landscapes and wildlife to be breath-taking and hard not to capture through painting. I also love to travel and a few of my paintings reflect inspiring moments during these travels. My husband has taken most of the photographs that I have painted. My paintings are aimed at creating an awareness of endangered animals and to improve people’s appreciation of nature. I enjoy painting birds as I like mixing colours to replicate the bird’s vibrant coloured feathers and adding fine details to make the feathers look fluffy. I enjoy the varied techniques that can be used in wildlife scenes such as using delicate brush strokes to depict an elephant’s coarse skin. I enjoy taking up the challenge of painting water, something that is liquid, transparent and dynamic with the perception of endless space. I have painted tropical beaches from my travels as well as water holes from game reserves. My most inspiring artists include Irma Stern and Edgar Degas. I also enjoy browsing the art galleries in South Africa especially in Clarens where there are endless mini galleries each with their own styles of local artists. I have an appreciation for abstract and fine art and am interested to learn new techniques such as fluid art.