Nov
7

“Jacko” – Showcased on the label for Exploration Honey

My painting called “Jacko” is now the label for delicious Korijekup Honey created by Exploration Honey, Harvey, Western Australia. The land around Harvey was named Korijekup by the Nyoongar people, which means “place of the red-tailed black cockatoo”. Exploration Honey bees have foraged from the forests around Korijekup to produce this beautiful raw honey. Black [ more info ]

Sep
21

“Waratah” – Finalist Holmes Art Prize 2023.

Finalist – Holmes Art Prize for Excellence in Realistic Australian Birdlife 2023. Australia’s preeminent bird art competition. “Waratah” painted in oils is one of 40 selected finalist artworks. This painting depicts a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets sitting on one of Australia’s most iconic flowers, the floral emblem for New South Wales. Rainbow Lorikeets are known [ more info ]

Mar
13

Featured Artist – Parrot Society of Australia Magazine.

How absolutely fabulous to be the featured as the avian artist in the January – February 2023 edition of Parrot News Magazine. The article gives some background on my bird art journey and features many of parrot and cockatoo paintings all lovingly painted in oils. Hude thank you to Parrot Society of Australia Inc. for [ more info ]

Feb
1

“The Stockman” – Finalist Collie Art Prize 2023.

A great honour to have my oil painting called “The Stockman” selected as a Finalist in the Collie Art Prize 2023 – theme being Identity. This is the only portrait ever painted of Ray Macnamara – an iconic Australian Stockman was selected as one of 47 finalists jury selected out of 377 national submission. Ray’s [ more info ]

Jan
20

“Oil Painting Techniques” Albany Summer School 2023.

It is is always an honor to be re-invited to teach at the annual Albany Summer School. This year I returned for a third time to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of one of Australia’s longest running Summer School Events. Once again my class was fully booked with a team of 12 talented and enthusiastic students [ more info ]

Oct
17

Award of Excellence – Holmes Art Prize 2022

My oil painting of a female Gang-gang Cockatoo called “Cherry Ripe” received an Award of Excellence at Australia’s preeminent bird art competition the Holmes Prize for Realistic Australian Bird Art 2022. Just to be chosen as one of the 35 competition finalist is a major achievement. To receive an Award of Excellence amongst Australia’s leading [ more info ]

Oct
1

“Chick Pea” – Currambine Primary School Emblem

“Chick Pea” my painting of a smiling Carnaby Cockatoo is now the Currambine Primary School Emblem. Thanks to Natalie Heartcliffe – Art Specialist at Currambine Primary School a print of my painting of “Chick Pea” will be the face that welcomes everyone to the school. With my permission the print of “Chick Pea” has received [ more info ]

Aug
31

Nominee – APIA Get Set.60 2022 -Awards.

Nominee for APIA Get Set.60 2022 Awards

Aug
31

Margaret River Region Open Studios 2022 – September 10th to 25th.

This year a record 168 artists will be participating in the largest Open Studio event in Australia, possibly the Southern Hemisphere. This is a fabulous opportunity to meet the artists in their creative space and discover what drives their passions. My studio – “The Aviary” the creative home of my birdlife artworks painted in oils [ more info ]

Aug
30

Finalist – Holmes Art Prize for Realistic Australian Bird Art 2022

Finalist – Holmes Art Prize for Realistic Australian Bird Art 2022

Aug
20

“A Perfect Apparition” – Red-tailed Black Cockatoos

Translating a client’s vision can be fun and challenging all at the same time. In this instance my client awoke to a vision following major heart surgery. My job was to translate the vision onto canvas. From obtaining a written brief, sourcing reference photos, developing conceptual ideas for client approval and creating a significantly personal [ more info ]

Jul
2

Up Close and Personal with “Bird Buddy”

“The Art of Birds – Meet Nicky Shelton” A few weeks ago I was approached to do an interview with Bird Buddy . If you haven’t heard of Bird Buddy the product is a smart bird feeder that notifies you of bird visitors, captures photos of birds who visit the birdfeeder and organises the photos [ more info ]

Blue Fairy Wren

Apr
23

Chiriger the Blue Wren and Warlitje the Eagle

Noongar bird stories – from an article by Peter Hancock, Sydney Morning Herald, April 5, 2014 When the birds were competing for their colours, the most difficult colour to obtain was blue, which was kept in the sky. The birds realised that only the highest-flying bird would be able to snatch some of the sky’s [ more info ]

Mar
23

Swoop – the Story of the Magpie

Every West Aussie is familiar with the melodious chortling of the magpies’ “dawn chorus”, but few know that in Aboriginal stories these birds are credited with creating the very first sunrise. According the Noongar Dreaming, the sky was once so close to the ground that trees could not grow, people had to crawl and all [ more info ]

Mar
22

“Swoop” – Award Winning Artwork!

“Swoop” – Wins his second international Award. He has been awarded Hon. Mention in the Traditional category of USA based Fusion Art – 4th Into the Wild Art Exhibition. This is a jury judged competition and the second international award this painting has received. “Swoop” has previously been jury judged “Best Painting in Show” by [ more info ]

Dec
16

Open Studio 2021 – Commissions Completed

Commission above was created for a client who requested a series of bird artworks – Birds specific to the Margaret River Region. Thank you to photographer Judy Walker for graciously allowing use of your Scarlet Robin image used as inspiration. During a hugely successful 2021 Open Studios, I was commissioned to complete a number of [ more info ]

The Chaperone

Sep
27

Margaret River Region Open Studios 2021 Print Winner – Robyn Kennedy.

As a thank you to all who visited my studio during the September 2021 Open Studios event, I ran a competition to win a print of The Chaperone. We had nearly 400 entries, and estimated our total number of visitors at around 500. Charlie and the other fur kids (Goblin and Spike the Alpaca’s and Sheep) were [ more info ]

Open Studios 2021

Sep
6

Margaret River Region Open Studios 2021.

2021 will be my first year as a participant in the Margaret River Region Open Studios. This year will be the largest and most exciting Open Studios event in Australia. With over 140 artists opening their doors to the public showcasing a huge diversity of amazing artistic talent including glass blowers, tattoo artists, carpet makers, [ more info ]

Aug
1

Featured Artist – Artsy Shark

Nicky Shelton Australian Brid Artist selected as Featured Artist – Artsy Shark

Jun
25

Exciting News for “Lenny” the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo.

“Lenny” the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo has been successfully selected for inclusion in the Capecare acquisition project 2021. Capecare is today the largest regionally based independent aged care provider in Western Australia. They are an organisation dedicated to supporting the local art community by acquireing and displaying art throughout their residential care buildings for residents, their families, [ more info ]

Mar
1

“The Aviary” My New Artist Studio is now complete.

The conversion of our old rustic stables into my new artist studio is a dream come true! Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would one day have my very own dedicated creative space (40 square meters) to splash paint, display my Birdlife artworks and share my oil painting techniques with like minded [ more info ]

Feb
1

Where are you “Marty” Carnaby Cockatoo?

“Marty” – Carnaby Cockatoo painted in oils was Sold and shipped to his new home in Italy on 26th September 2021. “Marty’s” new owner was so thrilled with her acquisition, telling me how excited she was to be receiving a painting that would brighten the dark time of living through Covid in Europe. Both Marty’s [ more info ]

Jan
20

“Oil Painting Techniques” Albany Summer School 2021.

Invitation to return to teach Oil Painting Techniques at Albany Summer School 2021.

Swoop - Australian magpie

Jul
7

ArtBaazar Online Magazine -Featured Artist June 2020

What a wonderful surprise to discover I am a featured artist in the June 2020 addition of ArtBaazar’s Online Magazine. Even more of a surprise to discover my painting of “Swoop” has been featured on the front cover of the magazine. Acknowledgement to photographer Muneer Al Shanti for graciously providing the reference photo as inspiration [ more info ]

May
8

Fusion Art Competition – Awarded Traditional Artist Winner – May 2020.

Nicky Shelton – Awarded Traditional Artist Spotlight winner by Fusion Art for the month of May 2020.

Australian Bird Artist