Shannon was inspired to capture the hauntingly beautiful Tasmanian Masked Owl, not only for how intoxicating it is but also due to its incredibly sad, yet preventable, threat of survival. On the brink of extinction, it is yet another example of an Australian species dying as the direct result of the Australian Government’s atrocious environmental laws.
In this artwork, Shannon depicted her subject to be flying – but to be staring directly at its audience – daring them to look away, evoking a storyline of staring at its killers intently whilst wanting to ‘fly to a better place’...but having nowhere left to fly.
Price is for artwork only. Framed example image is for illustrative purposes only.
The Tasmanian Masked Owl is a subspecies of Masked Owl which occurs only in Tasmania. They are larger (females up to 1.2kg) and darker than Australian mainland Masked Owls. It is a territorial but highly mobile species living in monogamous pairs that defend very large home ranges. These owls are secretive, and strictly nocturnal birds. Their cryptic behaviour make them difficult to detect and observe in the wild but they can sometimes be heard, screeching eerily or (what has been hilariously described as) ‘cackling like a kookaburra on helium’. Their heart-shaped faces act as feathery satellite dishes, channeling even the faintest whisper which allows them to catch moving prey, even in complete darkness. Their main diet includes introduced rodents/rabbits in agricultural areas and native marsupials/birds in less disturbed habitats. They spend daylight hours roosting in tree hollows, dense vegetation or cliff side caves; where they’re unlikely to be disturbed. However, as they will only nest in deep hollows, present only in the largest and oldest, sometimes dead or dying eucalypts, these trees are a crucial key to their survival. Sadly, there’s estimated to less than 500 breeding pairs remaining in the wild. The main threats to the Tasmanian Masked Owl are caused by humans, the first of which is the devastating, mass-clearing of Tasmanian habitat (by Forestry Tasmania, the Tasmanian government agency that manages nearly 1.6 million hectares of public forests). After this, their remaining threats are secondary poisoning (rat poison) and attacks from both feral and domestic cats. Overall, Australia has lost nearly 40% of its forests, but much of the remaining native vegetation is highly fragmented. Conservation Status: Endangered.
The Tasmanian Masked Owl is a subspecies of Masked Owl which occurs only in Tasmania. They are larger (females up to 1.2kg) and darker than Australian mainland Masked Owls. It is a territorial but highly mobile species living in monogamous pairs that defend very large home ranges. These owls are secretive, and strictly nocturnal birds. Their cryptic behaviour make them difficult to detect and observe in the wild but they can sometimes be heard, screeching eerily or (what has been hilariously described as) ‘cackling like a kookaburra on helium’. Their heart-shaped faces act as feathery satellite dishes, channeling even the faintest whisper which allows them to catch moving prey, even in complete darkness. Their main diet includes introduced rodents/rabbits in agricultural areas and native marsupials/birds in less disturbed habitats. They spend daylight hours roosting in tree hollows, dense vegetation or cliff side caves; where they’re unlikely to be disturbed. However, as they will only nest in deep hollows, present only in the largest and oldest, sometimes dead or dying eucalypts, these trees are a crucial key to their survival. Sadly, there’s estimated to less than 500 breeding pairs remaining in the wild. The main threats to the Tasmanian Masked Owl are caused by humans, the first of which is the devastating, mass-clearing of Tasmanian habitat (by Forestry Tasmania, the Tasmanian government agency that manages nearly 1.6 million hectares of public forests). After this, their remaining threats are secondary poisoning (rat poison) and attacks from both feral and domestic cats. Overall, Australia has lost nearly 40% of its forests, but much of the remaining native vegetation is highly fragmented. Conservation Status: Endangered.
Specifications
'Mask’ was created with watercolour paint and detailed with a traditional nib and highly concentrated ink on 425gsm 100% cotton watercolour paper.
Artwork Size: Size: 260mm × 185mm
This original artwork is embossed with the ‘Shannon Dwyer Original’ authenticity seal and hand-penned signature validating it as an original artwork of Shannon Dwyer.
Artwork is accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity
'Mask’ was created with watercolour paint and detailed with a traditional nib and highly concentrated ink on 425gsm 100% cotton watercolour paper.
Artwork Size: Size: 260mm × 185mm
This original artwork is embossed with the ‘Shannon Dwyer Original’ authenticity seal and hand-penned signature validating it as an original artwork of Shannon Dwyer.
Artwork is accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity
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