The Story Behind the Artwork
This hand-carved linocut print features the striking White-cheeked Honeyeater (Phylidonyris niger), a lively native Australian bird known for darting through flowering gums along coastal fringes. In this original composition, I wanted to explore the delicate, feathery textures of the honeyeaters in direct contrast with the bold, geometric architecture of flowering eucalypts.
The design frames a pair of these energetic birds amidst five large, blossoming gum flowers, complete with intricately hand-carved bottlebrush stamens, pointed native leaves, and small gumnuts. Using a careful balance of thick graphic lines and incredibly fine, painstaking detail work, this piece is an exploration of the "beautiful chaos" found within the Australian bush.
The Hand-Carved Printmaking Process
By leaning into traditional relief printmaking, the negative space carved out of the block allows the premium, natural tone of the paper to become an active element, making the exploding blossoms vividly stand out against the rich, dark ink.
Printmaking is a slow, deeply meditative and tactile craft. Every artwork begins as a detailed illustration in my Melbourne studio before spending many hours being meticulously hand-carved into the linoleum block.
My studio practice is deeply informed by the 20th-century Japanese Sōsaku-Hanga ("creative prints") movement, alongside the historic legacies of celebrated Australian printmakers Margaret Preston and Barbara Hanrahan. By honouring this philosophy—where the artist takes total creative control over the designing, carving, and hand-pulling of each print—the resulting artwork carries a human, artisanal character that digital prints simply cannot replicate.
Art Subject: Australian White-cheeked Honeyeaters & Flowering Gum Blossoms
Edition Type: Limited edition of only 30 prints, hand-signed and numbered by the artist
Certificate of Authenticity: Includes a signed Certificate of Authenticity documenting the archival materials, edition number, and studio details.
Premium Paper Stock: High-quality, eco-friendly Awagami Paper (170gsm). Crafted masterfully in Japan from 70% sustainable bamboo and 30% recycled pulp. This museum-grade paper is acid-free and archival, designed for lifelong preservation.
Studio Ink: Sustainable, professional-grade soy-based inks
Print Size (Inked Area): 23cm x 30cm (Expertly sized to fit standard, off-the-shelf frames)
Total Paper Size: 30cm x 40cm
Presentation: Unframed, carefully packaged flat in protective materials for safe transit
Note: Because every print is hand-inked and individually pressed on a manual press, subtle variations in ink density and texture will naturally occur, ensuring your limited-edition artwork is entirely unique.
Dispatch: Safely packed and shipped from my Melbourne studio within 2–4 business days.
Australia & New Zealand: Carbon-neutral standard shipping is included in the total cost.
International Worldwide Delivery: An additional flat rate of AU$10 will be applied at checkout for international shipping.
Combined Shipping: Purchasing more than one artwork? An extra AU$4 is added for combined packaging at checkout.
The Story Behind the Artwork
This hand-carved linocut print features the striking White-cheeked Honeyeater (Phylidonyris niger), a lively native Australian bird known for darting through flowering gums along coastal fringes. In this original composition, I wanted to explore the delicate, feathery textures of the honeyeaters in direct contrast with the bold, geometric architecture of flowering eucalypts.
The design frames a pair of these energetic birds amidst five large, blossoming gum flowers, complete with intricately hand-carved bottlebrush stamens, pointed native leaves, and small gumnuts. Using a careful balance of thick graphic lines and incredibly fine, painstaking detail work, this piece is an exploration of the "beautiful chaos" found within the Australian bush.
The Hand-Carved Printmaking Process
By leaning into traditional relief printmaking, the negative space carved out of the block allows the premium, natural tone of the paper to become an active element, making the exploding blossoms vividly stand out against the rich, dark ink.
Printmaking is a slow, deeply meditative and tactile craft. Every artwork begins as a detailed illustration in my Melbourne studio before spending many hours being meticulously hand-carved into the linoleum block.
My studio practice is deeply informed by the 20th-century Japanese Sōsaku-Hanga ("creative prints") movement, alongside the historic legacies of celebrated Australian printmakers Margaret Preston and Barbara Hanrahan. By honouring this philosophy—where the artist takes total creative control over the designing, carving, and hand-pulling of each print—the resulting artwork carries a human, artisanal character that digital prints simply cannot replicate.
Art Subject: Australian White-cheeked Honeyeaters & Flowering Gum Blossoms
Edition Type: Limited edition of only 30 prints, hand-signed and numbered by the artist
Certificate of Authenticity: Includes a signed Certificate of Authenticity documenting the archival materials, edition number, and studio details.
Premium Paper Stock: High-quality, eco-friendly Awagami Paper (170gsm). Crafted masterfully in Japan from 70% sustainable bamboo and 30% recycled pulp. This museum-grade paper is acid-free and archival, designed for lifelong preservation.
Studio Ink: Sustainable, professional-grade soy-based inks
Print Size (Inked Area): 23cm x 30cm (Expertly sized to fit standard, off-the-shelf frames)
Total Paper Size: 30cm x 40cm
Presentation: Unframed, carefully packaged flat in protective materials for safe transit
Note: Because every print is hand-inked and individually pressed on a manual press, subtle variations in ink density and texture will naturally occur, ensuring your limited-edition artwork is entirely unique.
Dispatch: Safely packed and shipped from my Melbourne studio within 2–4 business days.
Australia & New Zealand: Carbon-neutral standard shipping is included in the total cost.
International Worldwide Delivery: An additional flat rate of AU$10 will be applied at checkout for international shipping.
Combined Shipping: Purchasing more than one artwork? An extra AU$4 is added for combined packaging at checkout.
