Inspiration: Growing up with Horses, they have always had a special place in my heart. Though they are not native to Australia, I do feel they hold a significant place in recent history and that they are part of a never ending story in a timeless landscape. This Brumby is a black stallion living in the Alpine regions. I wanted to capture his wild heart and the gentle soul in his eyes. 

A very big thank you to Michelle and Ian at Snowy Brumby Photography for letting me use their incredible pictures as a reference photo for my artwork.

Artworks by Maegan Oberhardt highlight many species of wildlife native to Australia. This piece forms part of a collection of artwork that expands environments, composition, and the use of compatible media within the piece. The primary connection within her art is in the technique. It is man-made fire burning paper (which is a by-product of trees). This comments on the conflict between man and nature. The result of that conflict is that most wild species are directly impacted by man’s carbon footprint.

This series has used heat, carbon and soot to achieve the variety of charcoal greys present in the finished artwork.