I photographed this sweet wagtail up in the trees in Girraween National Park one winter's day in 2018. He'd been flitting around through the gum trees as the sun sunk below the surrounding hills. Once the sun had disappeared completely, the light softened, and I was able to photograph willy wagtail without any harsh shadows. I love the dreamy look in his eyes, and dusky palette of muted blues and lilacs.

Transforming this image into an encaustic artwork was a joyful experience, because the bokeh worked beautifully with the molten wax and fire. Adding the pastels and oils through the wax layers really felt like alchemy - they swirled and melted into the bokeh, creating interesting depth to the contours and accentuating the dreamy atmosphere of the original photograph. I also added some soft silver to the branch of the white gum - a finishing touch that gives it a luxurious quality and brings it to life.

The finished triptych is museum grade. It isn't necessary to frame the 2cm thick hardwood panels, which are prepped with picture hardware and ready to hang, but this piece would look beautiful in an open box frame, with an antique silver edge.

Multi-paneled Painting: Wax on Wood

Original: One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size: 90 W x 41.5 H x 2 D cm