The following piece was one I completed in late autumn last year. I was asked by Roger Riddington if I would like to work on a piece that the Fair Ilse Bird Observatory Committee could present to Deryk and Hollie Shaw to thank them for 12 years as Warden and Administrator at the Bird Observatory.
Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of meeting Hollie and Deryk Shaw or has ever stayed at the Obs will agree that they will be 'Irreplaceable'
I was honoured to be asked to do a piece like this and loved every minute of it.
It was a little more technical than I first envisaged and was one I will never forget as it taught me a lot about the planning and spatial awareness involved in composition containing such small illustrations.
Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of meeting Hollie and Deryk Shaw or has ever stayed at the Obs will agree that they will be 'Irreplaceable'
I was honoured to be asked to do a piece like this and loved every minute of it.
It was a little more technical than I first envisaged and was one I will never forget as it taught me a lot about the planning and spatial awareness involved in composition containing such small illustrations.
The Finished Piece
Arctic Skuas (Adult and Juvenile)
Scops Owl
Savannah Sparrow
Siberian Rubythroat
Siberian Thrush
Brown Shrike
Chestnut-eared Bunting
Brown Flycatcher
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle Warbler)
Thick-billed WarblerI chose the Birds based on Fair Isle's Avian Highlights of the past 12 years and orientated them around the Observatories emblem and one of Deryk's favourite birds the Arctic Skua.
I would also like to say a massive thank you to Brian Wilson for framing the work and for generally being a great man and a personal inspiration
I wish Hollie, Del, Lachlan and Kids all the luck in the future and all the best to the new wardens David and Susannah Parnaby
