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.

Ringed Xenica Butterfly, a book and framed works at Coastal Artisans

 Ringed Xenica Geitoneura acantha, walnut ink and handmade watercolours on Fabriano paper, 15 x 15 cm, © Matteo Grilli

 American-Australian writer Geraldine M. North recently published her book Butcher Bird, a collection of short stories from rural Australia. The book is a pleasure to read and features some illustrations of mine. It is available on Amazon 

At Coastal Artisans in Peregian Beach, there are some newly framed works and some Giclee prints of mine among the stunning showcase of other artists and artisans:

Here is a photo of the beautiful beach at Peregian:

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.

Glimpse of Sea-life

Glimpse of Sea-life, handmade watercolours on Fabriano watercolour paper, 26 x 35 cm, 

© Matteo Grilli.

For this still-life of Australian shells and beach findings I drew inspiration form an old sketchbook dating back to my time in the Galway Bay, Ireland, see the top right-hand-side corner of the photo above.

It is amazing to find such a variety of creatures in just a handful of items. Using a nature guide book I could identify the remains of the following creatures:

Spengler's Triton
Hercules Club
Pipi
Tellens
Mactras (Truncate; Reddish and Dissimilar)
Cockles
Scallops
Reef Crab's chelae
Bell Acorn Barnacle
Brain Coral

This artwork is available as a greeting card. For this artwork I have used a selection of four of my own handmade watercolour paints. Talking about handmade paints, I just published a page on my blog which explains with photos the fascinating process of watercolour making, take a look HERE, I hope you will like it.

Thank you for reading.

All the best,

Matteo