Katherine Cooper

The Hemisphere Travelers, Cape Raoul, Southern Tasmania

Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris)

Transparent Watercolor & Gouache on 300 lb. Arches Hot Press

47 x 60 inches

Available for Acquisition

King Island, in the middle of Bass Strait, Tasmania was our home for many years. At dusk, from September onwards, we would sit quietly on the sand dunes watching the Shearwaters return for breeding season after crossing hemispheres and traveling thousands of kilometers.Their stiff-winged flight technique seemingly cuts or shears the tips of the waves and they are a joy to observe and to paint.

2019 was not a good year for our Shearwater numbers. They are gentle, resilient seabirds and we are all hoping for a much better outcome for future seasons.