Hall & Wilcox Art Prize winners

I have had a real passion for native Australian birds since I was a child. My dad also loves Aussie birds and grew up hand raising quite a few species. He passed that passion on to me.

When I painted Edwina, I had painted so many different species but had not painted an Emu yet.  I set myself the challenge of doing it on a large scale to showcase their size and the magnificent colouring in their necks and eyes.

I of course named it after one of my favourite childhood books ‘Edwina the Emu’.

I am currently working on a large-scale painting of several Regent Honeyeaters. They are very beautiful birds and are unfortunately critically endangered.

From an early age my mum always gave piles of craft materials to keep me busy, and as I got older (10 years old) I ended up doing after school art classes. From memory my first, proper painting on a canvas was of a sunset scene.

I absolutely LOVE Del Kathryn Barton’s artworks, they are so colourful, quirky and detailed. I also a fellow local Swansea artist, Daniel Joyce. His artworks are truly incredible.

You can see more of my art on my website siarnstaleyart.com or on my Instagram page @siarnstaley.