The owl (moth) and the pussy cat (bird) went to sea in a beautiful pea green boat (orchid)…
My apologies to Edward Lear for making his nonsense poem even more nonsensical… Ever since I discovered that cymbidium orchids are also referred to as boat orchids I have been desperate to paint this picture… I love that nothing is as it is meant to be, and as a fan of Twin Peaks I love that I can now say that the “owls are not what they seem.” Both the green catbird and the zig zag white banded owl moth are native to Australia, and the cymbidium iridioides, well it is just a beautiful pea green (and red striped) boat orchid. This is my first attempt to enter the Sulman Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. We shall just have to wait and see if the artist judge agrees that it is worthy…. (Edit to this… in the delay between the original Sulman dates and the new Sulman dates due to Covid 19, this painting found a new home. So I have had to paint a new Sulman entry, wish me luck)
The Owl and the Pussycat 2020
Watercolour on handmade 100% cotton rag paper
Paper size 111cm x 76cm
Private Collection