“Tawny Frogmouth” was painted in two phases, through 2020 and 2021. Following the devastating bushfires of 2020 in East Gippsland, Robyn decided to pay tribute to this quintessentially Australian bird. The much loved Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) is the ultimate master of camouflage, blending into it’s environment with feather patterns resembling the branches of Eucalyptus trees. While resembling an owl, they’re in fact not related. Their plumage is soft, mottled grey, white, black and rufous (brownish-red), they have stiff whisker-like bristles around their beaks, large yellow eyes and stocky heads. These birds are often seen (or more likely not seen) around the High Country of Victoria where Robyn has a studio.

Applying dozens of layers of fine, glazed oil brushstrokes, Robyn has created the recognisable feather patterns of the Frogmouth. The transparent glazing permits the feathers to overlay and the beautiful wood grain of the American Oak to show through. This rich visual surface is also a reference to the Frogmouth’s ability to camouflage into wood.

Initially shown in the “Resurrection” exhibition at Off The Kerb Gallery, a group show curated to consider our responsibility towards the environment as “caretakers” of our world, in a year where ecological devastation plagued human, wild and flora life forms from start to finish. After re-working it was part of the 2021 Dinner Plain Easter Art Exhibition in the high country of Victoria, an area that was hard hit by the bushfires.