Flying High

Nicky Shelton was the Second Prize Winner in International Artist magazine’s Challenge No. 140, Wildlife.

Oil painter Nicky Shelton is a painter of birds—primarily birds native to her home of Australia, but not exclusively. Her goal with each artwork is to make it feel as though her subjects are leaping off the canvas and into real life. “Attention to detail using fine bristled brushes allows me to highlight the intricate detailing of feathers [and] capture the unique character of each bird together with the contrast of light and shade,” says Shelton. “Every bird species is intelligent, possessing its own personality. Some smile at you, others look coy or quizzical, demanding or subservient. The range of emotions they [evoke] never fails to amaze me.”

Bougainvillea Princess – Silvereye, oil on canvas, 12 x 12"

Her piece Mr Crimson - Male Crimson Rosella captures a vibrant blue and red parrot perched on a tree branch. “Mr Crimson is an addition to my expanding collection of Australian rosellas,” she says. “The beauty and variation of colors these birds display is breathtaking. How blessed we are to be able to share our backyards with these spectacular unique Australian birds.” Another addition to her series of rosellas paintings is Theo – Male Green Rosella, a distinguished painting of a vividly green bird endemic to Tasmania and the Bass Strait Islands.

Love Song, oil on canvas, 15¾ x 15¾"

Nicky Shelton with her painting Hello Cocky.

“I have always loved birds and feel blessed to live in the southwest of Australia, where we have a wonderful variety of bird life that changes through the seasons,” Shelton continues. “Many endangered species live only in our special part of the world. I do my little bit to help protect them, with a percentage of every original painting sold being donated to Birdlife Australia.”

Theo – Male Green Rosella, oil on canvas, 30 x 15"

Mr Crimson – Male Crimson Rosella, oil on canvas, 30 x 15"

Shelton’s artwork has been featured in numerous juried exhibitions and has received multiple awards, including Second Prize in International Artist’s most recent Wildlife Challenge. To learn more about the artist and her conservation efforts, visit her website at www.nickyshelton.com.au. —