The Pattern of Birds

Deborah Michell-Smith’s The Pattern of Birds is an evocative exploration of regional Australia, where birdlife anchors the vastness of the outback. Her works are both homage and observation, distilling the quiet grandeur of the bush into layered textures and nuanced tones.

A solitary Brolga stands poised within a quilt of pinks and ochres, its form embodying both fragility and resilience—qualities intrinsic to life in remote settings. In another scene, Kookaburras perch on weathered branches, their feathers blending seamlessly into the rhythmic geometry of the landscape. These images are as much about space and stillness as they are about life, offering a sense of harmony between Australia’s birdlife and its terrain.

“Birds, as symbols of freedom, move effortlessly through these environments, embodying the deep connection between land and life,” Michell-Smith reflects. Through her precise brushwork and a restrained yet expressive palette, she invites viewers to linger in the resilience and beauty of the bush. Each painting is a quiet meditation on nature’s persistence and its poetic, enduring rhythms.