This cheeky Carnaby’s cockatoo pauses high in the twisting branches of a peppermint gum, looking directly out at the viewer with a wonderfully curious expression. These endangered black cockatoos regularly visit our garden to feast on the nuts of our macadamia tree, and I love their unmistakable presence and personality. I have painted the cockatoo with finely observed detail, contrasting its rich texture and character with the more loosely painted, abstracted branches and background. A celebration of this beautiful local bird and its connection to our gardens, this painting brings a lively piece of the Western Australian bush into the home.