In the Company of Birds

Dates: 15 October – 9 November 2026

Venue: Old Auction House Gallery, Kyneton, Victoria

In the Company of Birds is a solo exhibition of new work that celebrates the colour, character and movement of birds.  Presented during Birdtober, Australia’s national month of bird appreciation, the exhibition brings together watercolour paintings and silverpoint drawings that invite audiences to pause, look closely and reconnect with the birdlife that animates central Victoria.

Working across expressive watercolour and the delicate precision of silverpoint, (which is a traditional method of drawing with silver) this new exhibition captures birds as both recognisable species and vivid presences. The result is an exhibition that is accessible, engaging and rich in close observation, inviting bird lovers, art audiences and regional visitors alike to encounter familiar wildlife through an artist’s eye.

Artist Statement: themes and approach

The exhibition is centred on movement, energy and encounter. As an artist, I am especially drawn to the visual drama of birds in flight: the spread of wings, the tilt of a body, the intensity of colour, and the fleeting moment before a bird disappears from view. Parrots are a particular focus, including black cockatoos, galahs and rainbow lorikeets that regularly visit my home.

My work is shaped by a lifelong interest in the natural environment and by the places I have lived: the tropics of north Queensland, inner Melbourne and, for nearly a decade, regional Victoria. This exhibition reflects that movement between place, observation and artistic practice, with birds acting as both subject and symbol of vitality, adaptation and place.

Featured works

There are 15 works in the exhibition, in watercolour and silverpoint. Several large-scale watercolours anchor the exhibition, including Black Cockatoos in Gums and The Battle. These works capture the presence of native parrots whose striking appearance, strong silhouettes and distinctive calls make a lasting impression in the wild.  Smaller studies, depicted in watercolour on wood panel, are visual points of interest and can be arranged either together in sequence, or separately throughout the exhibition.

"In this energetic and expressive exhibition, my focus is on the birds that live alongside us and celebrates both character and form: cockatoos calling through gum trees, a silent barn owl that flies softly in the night, and rainbow coloured energetic battle for supremacy in the skies.  The emphasis is on the calls, colours and movement that shape the soundscape and visual life of birds."