Painted with gouache on paper – image from the internet – apologies don’t recall where.
I learned painting initially from Roy Doyle – one of the previous illustrators for the Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. He had a budgie flying around his studio.
This piece is The Simurgh. It represents my imagination of a mythical Persian beast bird as represented in twelfth century Sufi poem The Conference of the Birds, by Farid Ud-Din Attar. The simurgh is a bird if creation having survived the destruction of the world many times.
The book uses poetic allegory to explore themes of self-discovery, divine love, and the quest for enlightenment. It follows the journey of many birds who are led by a hoopoe. On the journey they must overcome the perils of seven valleys:
The Valley of the Quest – Searching for the truth and purging of selfishness.
The Valley of Love – Consumed by a longing for the divine.
The Valley of Knowledge – Gaining deeper understanding and wisdom.
The Valley of Detachment– Letting go of worldly attachments and desires.
The Valley of Unity – Realizing the inherent oneness of everything.
The Valley of Astonishment – Being overwhelmed by the divine mysteries.
The Valley of Poverty and Annihilation – The self is completely lost, and only the presence of God remains.
Only thirty birds complete the journey and to see in their reflection that they are the simurgh.
This depiction is gouache on paper. The simurgh takes a number of forms in the ancient texts and is thought to be large enough to lift a man into flight. It can have the features of a bird of prey and a peacock – as I have depicted it here, with each of the 30 tail feathers representing a bird. Simurgh translates as thirty birds.
Channel-billed Cuckoo, Scythrops novaehollandiae, Gouache on Paper 1:1. Australia’s largest cuckoo. Based on my photos and internet based images. There are no great photos as is always high in the canopy. Painting this I could hear this large cuckoo in the adjacent park and flying overhead chased by noisy miners
Once upon a time, in a lush forest by the colorful meadow, there lived a clever fox named Felix. He was a smart and resourceful creature, known for his quick wit and cunning nature. He would often spend hours exploring the vast forest, learning new things each day, and becoming more knowledgeable with each passing moment.
On the other side of the forest, among the tall oak trees, there resided a wise hedgehog named Hazel. Unlike Felix, she was not interested in learning about different things. Instead, she spent most of her time perfecting one specific skill- rolling into a tight ball to protect herself from danger.
Despite their contrasting personalities, Felix and Hazel were great friends. They would often meet by the riverbank and share tales of their adventures.
One day, as Felix was wandering through the forest, he stumbled upon a group of young animals who were struggling to build a shelter for themselves. With his vast knowledge of construction and architecture, Felix quickly came up with an ingenious plan to build a sturdy and secure shelter.
The young animals were amazed by Felix’s intelligence and asked him to teach them his ways. He was more than happy to share his knowledge and became their mentor, teaching them valuable lessons each day.
Meanwhile, Hazel was content with her skill of rolling into a tight ball until one fateful day. As she was collecting berries in the meadow, she was attacked by a group of ferocious wolves. Her defensive tactic of rolling into a ball was no match for the wolves, and she was quickly captured.
Desperate for help, Hazel called out for Felix, who was on the other side of the forest. With his sharp ears, Felix heard her cries and quickly rushed to her aid. He came up with a daring rescue plan, using his knowledge of the forest and its inhabitants to outsmart the wolves and save Hazel.
As they made their way back to the safety of their den, Hazel realized the importance of knowing more than one skill. She was grateful to Felix for his quick thinking and clever ideas, which ultimately saved her life.
From that day on, Hazel and Felix became more than just friends; they became a dynamic duo- using their combined knowledge to help those in need and to make the forest a better place for all its inhabitants.
The animals in the forest had always known that Felix was a fox who knew many things, but after that day, they also learned that Hazel, the hedgehog who knew one big thing, was just as valuable and important. Together, they proved that having different talents and skills is what makes a community stronger and more resilient.
And so, Felix and Hazel continued to live in the forest, inspiring and teaching the next generation of animals the importance of knowledge and the power of friendship. For in the end, it is not just what you know, but who you know and what you can do with that knowledge that truly matters.
Are you a hedgehog or a fox?
A fox knows many things whereas a hedgehog knows one big thing
winstonliauw 