Birds from a new World

This project will be comprised of a body of approximately 20 paintings. These will be based on the natural history illustrations of George Raper, a midshipman on the First Fleet. The original works created in 1788, were recently discovered within the Dulcie family estate, in a remarkably well-preserved condition. Not only is the history of Raper's position in the First Fleet and the unlikely preservation and recovery of the drawings remarkable but also is the high level of imperial observation and the aesthetic qualities of the illustrations. My paintings quote Raper's drawings and transform them using ornamental motifs and structures in order to imagine how aspects of Australia appeared to early colonizers

This project is in the early stages of development and will involve archival research at the National Library, Canberra.