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The Owl and the Banksia
The Owl and the Banksia
The Owl and the Banksia
The Owl and the Banksia
John Graham

The Owl and the Banksia

Sale price$1,100.00 AUD
The Owl and the Banksia
42 x 50 x 3cm 
Signed original artwork 

This painting presents a stylised owl perched on a flowering native plant, and it is a particularly strong example of John Graham’s ability to combine Australian wildlife with expressive, simplified painting.

The owl dominates the composition. Its large pale face, dark wings and distinctive heart-shaped facial structure give it an immediately recognisable presence, while Graham has deliberately simplified the anatomy rather than pursuing strict naturalistic detail. The dark plumage is built up with numerous small white and grey marks, giving the bird texture and movement.

The bright orange flower head beneath the owl provides the painting's major colour contrast. Against the soft turquoise background, the orange becomes almost luminous. The flower appears to be a stylised native Australian plant, reinforcing Graham's recurring interest in combining birds, native flora and the Australian environment.

There is a wonderful sense of verticality in the composition. The plant rises from the bottom of the canvas, supports the owl at its centre, and draws the viewer's eye upward toward the bird's face. The surrounding branches are loosely painted and almost calligraphic, providing a delicate counterpoint to the solid mass of the owl.

What is particularly characteristic of Graham

The painting demonstrates several qualities associated with Graham's broader work:

  • Australian wildlife as the central subject
  • Strong, simplified silhouettes
  • Unexpected and expressive colour
  • A soft, atmospheric background
  • Visible, energetic brushwork
  • A balance between realism and illustration
  • A slightly whimsical or dreamlike quality

The owl's direct gaze is especially effective. Rather than appearing simply as a wildlife study, the bird seems to engage directly with the viewer. Its expression is calm and almost contemplative, giving the painting a personality beyond its subject matter.
The Owl and the Banksia
The Owl and the Banksia Sale price$1,100.00 AUD
Size Guide

You are highly recommended to measure your space prior to placing order. Below is a size guide for your information. All the product sizes are finish sizes. If you order a framed print, the size includes frame.

Size guide chart
Frame Guide

Fine Art Print on Canvas Or Paper

Museum quality giclee print, using latest Epson high end professional fine art reproduction printer and UltraChrome archival inks resulting in beautiful prints with rich and vivid colours. We use either 300 gsm premium canvas or 180 gsm matte archival art paper.

Shadow Box Floating Frame

Hanging wire pre-installed, arrive ready to hang.

Proudly hand framed in Melbourne.

We use 4.5 cm thick timber mouldings, made of sustainable hardwood.

To enhance the presentation, we utilize the gallery wrap technique, where approximately 1 cm of the canvas print is wrapped around the stretcher bars on each side, ensuring a seamless and polished finish.

A subtle 5 mm gap between the canvas and the frame creates a striking floating effect, giving the artwork a sense of depth and prominence.

The canvas is expertly stretched over a wooden stretcher bar and mounted within a shadow box floating frame.

Shadow box floating frame detail

Stretched Canvas

Proudly hand made in Melbourne.

Hanging wire pre-installed, arrive ready to hang.

We will remove any "white border" around the wall art, as the "white borders" are designed for framed artwork only.

Stretched and gallery or mirror wrapped around a 3cm wooden stretcher. No outside frames.

Stretched canvas example

Framed Poster

Hanging wire pre-installed, arrive ready to hang.

Proudly hand framed in Melbourne.

We don't use traditional mat board. Some products come with "white border" effect, which is just unprinted area. We can custom make a print to add or remove the white border. You just need to leave an order note about it.

Topped with professional framing acrylic, not glass or perspex.

Small sizes posters (< 80x120cm or 100x100cm) are framed with 4 cm thick timber mouldings. The frontal measurement is 2cm. Bigger sizes posters (larger than 80x120cm or 100x100cm) are framed with 2 cm thick timber mouldings. The frontal measurement is 4cm.

Frames are made of sustainable hardwood.

Giclee printed on 180 gsm matte archival art paper using genuine Epson UltraChrome inks.

Framed poster detail

Frame Colour

The Oak frames are made of nature timber moulding, they may come with different tones, or have timber marks on them, while the Black and White frames have smooth colour.

Our Vintage Gold Frame is currently unavailable due to supply shortage. We expect them to be back late June or early July. The vintage gold framing is not a clean gold colour, it will come with natural imperfections, giving a vintage look.

All the wall art are available in Black/White/Oak frame colours.

Frame colour options