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Edutainment > Articles on Art > Australian Artists > 36 Views of Green Island (25) - Black Cockatoos

Black Cockatoos, 2008
copyright Tom Kristensen

Tom Kristensen, born 1962, is a young artist from Australia who works in the tradition of Japanese woodblock printmaking. On this page, he writes about his latest print from the series "36 Views of Green Island ".

Black Cockatoos - No. 25

The headland overlooking Green Island was cleared in the past but the native forest is regrowing. Out of the wind, to the rear, are the Eucalyptus botryoides with a spreading canopy and larger leaves. On the top of the bluff, and down the steep sandy slope to the beach, the wind prunes the vegetation into rounded shapes. Here the stunted Banksia and Casuarina trees carry leaves that are small and tough, able to withstand the shredding power of the wind. The Casuarinas leaves are reduced to minute scales surrounding a long grey-green needle-like twig. These trees all bear their seeds in woody capsules that also serve to protect against wind and fire.

Birds of Australia

Many Australian birds are honeyeaters, with long tongues and delicate poise they lick the nectar from the ocean of tiny yellow flowers that hang high in the treetops. Other birds have evolved to feast later in the flowering season and they eat the seeds from the woody pods. This diet calls for a strong beak and a stout build.

The Black Cockatoo

The Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Calyptorhyncus funereus, is one of the largest, growing to 65 cm in length. With large wings it flaps slowly, moving fluidly through the forest, while making a loud wailing call. Like other parrots, the cockatoos have feet with two strong toes reaching forwards and two reaching backwards, giving them the grip to walk steadily through the treetops and to grab their food. Cockatoos are unique in having a moveable head crest that they will wag in a spectacular squawking display. They also have an engaging facility for mimicry, making them a popular caged pet. The cockatoos are restricted to Australia and nearby islands, and although they are protected in the wild there is a continuing problem with an illegal trade in smuggled eggs and birds.

These 36 views are presented in the Sosaku Hanga tradition: self-carved and hand printed, using Japanese tools, Japanese mulberry washi and traditional pigment colours. Each print will be made from 4 to 6 blocks and is printed in an edition of 25 copies.

Tom Kristensen
April 2008

More about Tom Kristensen

The artist was first discovered by Eric van den Ing, co-author of a classic ukiyo-e book "Beauty and Violence" and owner of Saru Gallery. After Eric van den Ing had placed Tom's woodblock prints on his online gallery, a few days later a collector had bought the whole set. Mr. van den Ing seems to have a "magic hand" for new artists. He was the first to introduce Paul Binnie in 2000 to a larger online community of friends of Japanese prints.

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