Overwintering refers to the migratory shorebirds that visit the shores of Moreton Bay every year during the northern hemisphere winter. They start arriving here on the fertile shores of Moreton Bay from late August, fattening up in preparation for their return trip to the breeding grounds in China, Siberia, and Alaska. Among these visitors, we have one of the largest populations in Australia of the critically endangered far eastern curlew.
These paintings are inspired by the bay, the amazing little birds that inhabit it, and the diversity of the marine life. I am passionate about developing a deeper connection to my home through painting, drawing, researching, and engaging with my community. My work reflects on the bay, but I am also keen to highlight the extreme fragility of its ecosystem due to pollution, development, and climate change.
My favourite places to paint are the islands of Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) and Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island), where thousands of migratory shorebirds overwinter. I have been fortunate to visit these places often on artist camps with friends and to teach workshops.
Plein air studies serve as research or note-taking, a way to investigate and map my surroundings. The field paintings, notes, research, and reading all contribute to the mix in the studio, with ideas filtering through into the finished oil paintings. Observing and documenting nature is my way of responding as a painter to climate change and environmental concerns.
Clare Purser, 2024
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