Beautiful birds come to life in Sally Edmonds’ pastel portraits. The Australian-based artist uses dozens of pastels and colored pencils to capture the vibrant plumage of parrots, wrens, roosters, and other avian animals. By meticulously mixing and layering, she presents vivid profiles that celebrate the individuality of the birds.
Originally from England, Edmonds moved to Australia with her husband, where she began working as a full-time artist. Her interest in birds as a subject came when she started keeping them at home and she began learning about their unique personalities and quirks. “You never realize how unique and complex a bird is until you live with it,” Edmonds tells her My Modern Met. “It completely changed my life. I am now living with eight birds and building a career I never dreamed possible.”
Her portraits usually feature a close-up of the bird’s face, with Edmonds layering various pastel and colored pencil shades to recreate the sheen and piercing eyes of the feathers. She tends to set her illustrations against blank or simplified backgrounds so that the bird image is clearly emphasized, similar to the formal portraits humans have. “I am immensely fascinated and inspired by birds,” she admits Edmonds. “They have personalities and lives of their own. is.”
Prints of Edmund’s art are available in our online shop. Follow artists on Instagram to stay up to date on their latest exhibitions.
Australia-based artist Sally Edmonds creates exquisite pastel portraits of birds.
She captures their unique looks and personalities through her vibrant art.
She depicts parrots, owls, wrens, sparrows and other birds.
The details in her pastel portraits are so realistic that it is easy to mistake them for photographs.
Check out the video below for more on her creative process.
Sally Edmonds: Website | Facebook | Instagram
My Modern Met has given permission to post a photo by Sally Edmonds.
Related article:
Numerous strips of colorful paper capture the energy of birds in motion
A mural of a bright bird spreading its wings and swallowing the side of a building
Surreal paintings of birds evoke the ever-present mysteries of the natural world
