This is the result of an A-Level piece from the theme "Conservation and Destruction". I chose to represent both aspects of this by pairing the beauty of a kingfisher with a ripped and stained piece of cardboard, represnting the destruction of its environment. Creating it on cardboard also allowed for me to work on something different to paper, and it presented an interesting challenge due to how much faster acrylic paint dries on cardboard. Because of this, I took the time to slow down and focus on each brush stroke. In comparison, ripping and staining the background allowed for me to intentionally be less careful. I finished it off with string, representing how the kingfisher is tied to its environment and will eventually follow the same fate if nothing is changed.

The initial idea sheet that I came up with for this piece. I considered a few different birds, eventually settling on a kingfisher due to its pretty colours.