Oil, acrylic, 24ct Manetti Superior Gold Leaf on birchwood - framed in a white-grained wood. 
25x25"
 
The artwork was shown at The Other Art Fair in London with Saatchi Art and is available at Knightsbridge Fine Art in Epping.
 
The latest tropical bird, in my series of oil-painted Brazilian birds on birchwood, which is mounted on 24ct gold. 
 
Mato Grosso is named after camping in the Pantanal, all of my birds are named after the places that I visited in Brazil.  It is the 7th in the series of gold-leafed birds.
 
The bird is painted in oil so that it projects from the fine grains of washed acrylic birchwood. The botanical work is painted in a contemporary style with 24ct gold leaf trimmed leaves. I like to use spray paint for the branches, as it gives a subtle metallic effect.
 
The colour pallet is carefully chosen, so that the bird blends with the foliage, creating a balance within the piece. 
 
A nature-inspired work, the birchwood panel is set on a 24ct gold-leafed wood panel creating not only a painting but a sculptured piece of art.