Hornbill II

This is the second of two hornbill sculptures I have painted from my backyard, that have been a part of this house across multiple owners, and have a strong sense of place in the wildness of the garden.

Similarly to the first hornbill painting, this imagery intends to push the boundaries of still life, both by being outdoors rather than traditional indoor settings, and through the strong persona of the hornbill, blurring the line of inanimate object with a sense of realness.

Working from home and seeing the garden slowly grow, I have started to feel that sense of persona in many of the plants also. Particularly in the wet season, I see plants taking over others, silently fighting over space, or strangling another plant for dominance.

This work extends that feeling to develop a persona in some of the plants also, and create a more narrative or allegorical style of painting. The darkness, while being very much about the beauty of shade in hot climates that wild gardens offer, could equally invoke a sense of foreboding as the plants encroach around the hornbill. It's stare may be one of content, one of defiance, or perhaps a nervousness of what is to come.

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Acrylic on canvas

150cm x 120cm