Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Shorebirds Banding

Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (Calidris acuminata, Piovanello siberiano) are only about 22 cm yet they accomplish a very long migration twice a year, every year. They spend the southern summer on Australia's mudflats and return to Siberia - northern Russia for the brief northern summer breeding season. They endure many threats during their long journey.

A Sharp-tailed Sandpiper's palette.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, handmade watercolours on Khadi handmade watercolour paper, 30 x 42 cm, © Matteo Grilli

In October last year I went volunteering during a bird-banding session in Manly, Brisbane organised by Birds Queensland and the Queensland Wader Study Group. The birds were caught with cannon-netting, measured, aged, ringed and banded and then released. Taking part in the process of banding migratory shorebirds has been a fantastic experience.

Lesser Sand Plover

Pacific Golden Plover

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Red-necked Stint

For all the artists and art lovers out there, I am running a promotion on my Etsy store at the moment, I am offering free postage for all orders above $30 until the end of June. This promotion includes my Artist's quality handmade watercolour paints.

All the best,

Matteo

Silver Gull

Silver Gull, handmade watercolours on Fabriano paper, 27 x 38cm, © Matteo Grilli.

Using masking fluid...

Pied Stilts

Pied Stilts, watercolour and gouache on coloured board, 21.5 x 29.5 cm, © Matteo Grilli

Red-capped Plover

Red-capped Plover, handmade watercolour on Fabriano paper, 19.5 x 25 cm, © Matteo Grilli SOLD

One of my artwork was recently featured on an article written by Jesse Hawley on the Australian Geographic, it is a very interesting read about the Australian White Ibis.

Summer holiday sketch: view of Monte Conero from Porto Recanati

During my recent holiday in Italy I enjoyed sketching on the beach of my hometown Porto Recanati, this is a view of Mt Conero as seen from the northern beach of the town.

The page previous to the sketch contains some colour tests and a bird list from a day spent bird watching in the countryside.

Lace Monitor

Lace Monitor, watercolour on paper, 30 x 30 cm,  © Matteo Grilli 2015

I was visiting North Stradbroke Island and enjoying the beautiful shore of the Brown Lake when I heard something scratching on a tree, this 2m-long Lace Monitor was climbing a gum tree not far from the lake shore. Now, this Lace Monitor watercolour has been published as a greeting card by Nuovo Group.

The Coastal Artisans gallery in Peregian Beach is now stocking my Giclee prints as well as some original framed works, if you find yourself around the Sunshine Coast area, the Coastal Artisans gallery, the Baked Poetry Cafe and the beautiful beach are certainly worth a visit.

New painting, a new gallery opening soon and a new book just released

This amazing creature visited the outside of my studio a few times in the summer, I enjoyed getting lost in the detail and movement of all those sinuous scale patterns. This image is available as a greeting card.

Carpet Python, watercolour and white gouache on colored board, 40 x 30 cm,© Matteo Grilli

Recently I was invited to feature my artwork in a new art and craft gallery called Coastal Artisans, opening soon in Perigian Beach. A selection of my original framed watercolours with a sea/beach theme will be featuring the collection. For more information on the event see the attached brochure.

Last weekend I had the pleasure to spend a couple of days in the lovely country town of Crows Nest where Lindsay Owen and I  launched the Children's Book "Poss in Boots' at the Arts and Crafts centre.

We've enjoyed meeting so many people and signing the books, Lindsay wrote the story about four years ago and then asked me to work on the illustrations, it took a while but eventually Lindsay was able to independently publish her book.

'A blue wooden house with a large veranda, a local Bush Band and a little possum with loads of determination and rhythm'.

This cute 14-page book will tell you the story of a little possum with a special love for dancing and music among the inhabitants, animal and human, of the Australian bush...

Order Your Copy

 

Tides

Low Tide, watercolour on paper, 23x36cm, 2012 © Matteo Grilli

A stretch of coastline relatively untouched, hidden and primeval lies where the only audible sounds are those of the sea, the wind, the elements and the birds. Just like this for millennia, with the only exception for human voices, occasional and far. Now it is high tide, the sandy patch, the rocks and the pools of yesterday are now a vortex of currents, foam and huge pounding waves. Like all places between land and sea, change is here continuous and tangible.

The waves are relentless, despite the submerged cliffs they still are living and moving mountains of water which become a shattering white explosion overcoming everything. One after the other. There is something fascinating about waves, their relative slowness, languor and unpredictability, their motion and tenacity: irrepressible and necessary. The grace, beauty and power of the ocean's nature is accomplishing its task. 

I wonder where all yesterday's creatures are, the sea cucumbers, the shells, dead or alive, the plovers, the oystercatchers, the seagulls and the dolphins. All under cover, but then it is their home, they know its ways. Every now and then some seagull flies along the coastline southwards, just like the terns and a pair of oystercatchers. The noise of the waves is deafening and endless, but it induces a feeling of peace and soundness. Watching and listening to the mighty force of the ocean from a fair distance is both reassuring and comforting. For now the inhabitants of the coast will have to find their daily bread somewhere else, or wait for the tide to recede.

Woody Heads - NSW

Here is a selection of shell-related artworks from my shop.

The Sleeping Birds Series goes on...

I am a half way to finish this collection (10 artworks so far) ... this time I'm posting the Silver Gull and the Emu. I tried to use as less colour as possible for the Silver Gull, which is easy for gulls since they're very light coloured, while I needed to use a bit more for the sleeping Emu, I had this very close and sweet contact at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane. I can see in the Emu the influence that Louis Agassiz Fuertes has had on me...

Little Ringed Plover's chick

I rescued this little chick as he fell trapped through a hole between the rocks, although he seemed to be a bit weak he was able to run toward his mother who immediately took him under her wings. I was positive and hopeful since he didn't look too bad. I'm not sure how long he spent under those rocks in the sunshine without water. Unfortunately, the day after there were two chicks instead of three running about. As we all know, that's nature.