The Kingfisher

Ally Proudlock, Kingfisher, acrylic on canvas

- Proudlock's rendering of the Kingfisher bounces right off the canvas, almost as if the audience is beckoned towards it - the bird's eye glistens only as if your own reflection can be seen in it, and it's feathers as if soft to the touch. The brilliant luminosity of the teals, blues and yellows stamp the imposing bird as a symbol of courage and fearlessness, it is the focal point of the work, the branches and background only secondary to its beguiling gaze.