ENDANGERED: Fine Art & Photography Contest 2021 Submission and 4th Equal Exceptional Commendation

The beauty of this gorgeous and regal macaw is what inspired me to paint it as my subject. I wanted to capture the powerful nature of this colorful bird. I painted this in oil to create a realistic style that is highly textured and saturated in color. I aimed to draw the viewer’s attention to the macaw by creating an exaggerated atmospheric perspective. I chose trompe l’oeil as an artistic effect. This illusion-like style hopefully makes the viewer realize that macaws are seen all the time on the internet which makes them seem mundane and eternal. But they really need our help before they disappear due to human-inflicted problems. Overall, this painting means so much to me as it represents my passion for preserving nature as well as it is proof of my artistic progression since it took a long time and considerable dedication.