I have been working from home, out of a fourth floor apartment in Sydney's inner west for the past few years. Working from home has many ups and downs, and can be quite isolating at times. The window has become a refuge for me when I need a break from drawing or whatever I’m focusing on at the time. I would either check out a plane flying past, daydream while looking at the trees from a distance, or watch the weather changes rolling in.
On special occasions my window becomes a ledge for a few feathered friends. Sometimes a magpie, a butcherbird, occasionally a Sulphur-crested cockatoo. My current favourite are the cheeky and colourful rainbow lorikeets, a species of parrot found in Australia.
They often arrive in pairs announcing themselves at my window with a not-so-polite squark. They'll come right up to the window edge and poke their head inside to see if I am about, knowing full well that my cat Miso (our rescue house cat) will often be nearby. I know my cat is no match for these quick-witted little birds.
Occasionally I'll feed them a nut or a little fruit I'm snacking on at the time. Often, they will ignore a slice of strawberry, but happily munch on the flesh of a grape, whilst expertly discarding the skin. Some of my visitors are brave enough to take the fruit right out of my hand. Some share amongst themselves, others take what they want from fellow lorikeets whilst bravely defending off other birds like the feisty Noisey Mynas.
These visitors inspire me to take a break, but also give me new inspiration for my series of Australian bird art. So here is my ode to these little mates, a colourful pencil illustration to mark my obsession with these delightful parrots.
