'Homeless Wombat' was created as the second in a series on the plight of Australian Wildlife. The first artwork entitled 'Homeless Joey' created in partnership with WISH Wildlife Shelter and showcases Joseph, an orphan Joey, helpless on the road looking for a home, with his deceased mother in the background. 

Find out more about Homeless Joey here: https://www.behance.net/gallery/85013833/Homeless-Joey

 

While Lyndel was with us, I discovered so much more about the challenges wombats face, and the work that she does. One of the great predators of a wombat is an Eagle. I searched through my photographs to find an eagle to include in this piece to help communicate this danger.

 

Like my other pieces, I use the method of making animals 'human-like' or anthropomorphic. By humanising the baby wombat as a young child, alone in a dumpster, covered by a newspaper (that contains an actual article about my artwork), it brings the viewer to a place of deep compasion for the wombat. I also placed the other smaller wombat in the dumpster behind, as a 'dumpster diver'. 

 

It's my intent that the art viewer is torn between the cute and illustrative nature of the piece, and is then drawn into the story and comes out concerned and pro-active about the plight of native wildlife in Australia.

 

I will continue this series. I hope to gather government funding on this journey, and focus in on each species and their independant challenges (and those of the rescuers). If you can help in any way, I would love to hear from you - karen@storyart.com.au

Photoshop Compositing is a contemporary art form. To create this artwork, I photographed each element either on location or in the studio and used Adobe Photoshop to bring everything together. Below are individual images from the piece.

'Homeless Wombat' is now on display in the Story Art Gallery and can also be purchased in the online shop here: https://shop.storyart.com.au/product/homeless-wombat/