Ethereal Hunter: Black-shouldered Kite. Original Watercolour Painting. Framed

Original Framed Artwork - 2024 Finalist (top 40) in the Holmes Prize for Realistic Australian Bird Art 

"Ethereal Hunter" is a delicate watercolour painting capturing the Black-shouldered Kite in lifelike detail. The white plumage was difficult to create with watercolour, where there is no white paint. It's piercing, vivid, red eyes evoke a sense of quiet grace and sharp focus, celebrating the elegance of this skilled aerial predator

The Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) is a small, graceful bird of prey native to Australia. Known for its striking appearance, it has pale grey and white plumage, with prominent black patches on its shoulders and bright red eyes. This bird is most commonly found in open habitats, such as grasslands and woodlands, where it perches on exposed branches or hovers effortlessly while hunting. It primarily feeds on small mammals, especially rodents, using its sharp talons to seize prey. The Black-shouldered Kite is often admired for its hovering behaviour and is considered a symbol of balance in the ecosystem.

This painting has been custom framed (value of $260) with double matting and a colour-matched reveal. Painted with professional watercolours of superior lightfastness and framed behind UV protected glass to maintain its brilliant colours. As with any watercolour painting, this piece should be kept away from direct sunlight. 

Dimensions (framed):  580mm x 475mm (portrait)

A very big thank you to the wonderful photographer Matt Laughton for allowing me to use his photo as a reference image for this work. 

This painting is also available as a Giclee Print.