$950.00
Silent Watch (Kookaburra) Giclee Reproduction on canvas 51 cm x 61 cm image size. Framed size is 73cm x 83cm
Stephen’s Inspiration: “Silent Watch” is an intimate bush setting capturing a fleeting moment of a cheeky Laughing Kookaburra watching and waiting. The dappled morning light celebrates and complements the vibrant energy of these birds. The painting is detailed yet has a softness due to its composition and setting. My 12 years of still life training was instrumental in controlling the lighting and depth of field; ensuring a harmonious balanced composition.
The Laughing Kookaburra is endemic to the forests and woodlands of eastern Australia. Because of its loud calls and large size, it is one of Australia’s most familiar birds. Early in the morning, as the local kookaburra gang rouses us with their own particular salute to the sun, they are telling all other kookaburras within earshot that they have a territory and that they are ready to defend it. Differences from Blue-winged Kookaburra include: brownish crown, dark streak through eye and dark eye. It is the world’s largest kingfisher. The territorial call can be described as raucous ‘laughter’. They spend most of the day on high branches or posts overlooking rainforest clearings or disturbed agricultural areas where they swoop on small snakes, lizards or frogs. It is seen singly, in pairs or in families. Young kookaburras continue to live at home for about four years. During this time, their parents put them to good use; young laughing kookaburras perform about a third of incubation and brooding duties for the next generation and supply the nestlings with over half of their food. This large kingfisher has brown upper parts and cream under parts. A brown streak interrupts the face behind the eye. There is a smattering of blue on the wing, but it is not as bright or extensive as on the ‘Blue winged Kookaburra’. This is, of course, the most distinctive and famous bird call in Australia. It resembles a howled, rounded, forced laughter. The ‘Laughing Kookaburra’ lives in the woodlands along the east coast of Australia and has become quite used to living in the urbanized areas beside humans. Thus, the bird is often encountered in the Australian BBQ, stealing a bit of sausage (snag), and then, treating it as it would its prey, and proceeding to whack the meat until it’s made sure it’s well and truly dead.
Giclee Reproduction by ARC Living Master Artist Stephen Jesic.
