Only One Guess Major Mitchells Cockatoos
$420.00
Only One Guess pairs two of Australia’s most beautiful native birds with one of the most recognisable names in fashion. One cockatoo has claimed the crimson Guess bag as its perch, surveying the scene from above. The other stands at eye level on a sweep of pink silk, head tilted, crest raised, looking back at it with what can only be described as knowing. The whole composition is soaked in deep rose and crimson — background, drapery, and birds all folding into one another in a way that feels luxurious and a little wild.
The Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo is a bird that earns its drama. That crest — white tipped with bands of red and gold — is one of the most spectacular things nature has produced, and it’s genuinely fun to put it in conversation with the glossy hardware and structured leather of a fashion accessory. There’s a playfulness here, but the painting itself is handled seriously: the feather detail, the leather texture, the zip pull, the way the silk catches light. Every element is observed and rendered with care. This is an original oil on canvas, hand-painted in my Brisbane studio. It arrives framed in a natural timber floating frame, ready to hang.
What Makes This Painting Unique
- Subject: Two Major Mitchell’s Cockatoos — among Australia’s most striking and rarely painted native birds
- Concept: Australian wildlife meets high fashion in a composition that’s witty without being novelty
- Palette: An immersive monochromatic pink-to-crimson world with the bag as a grounding anchor
- Execution: Oil on canvas with fine feather detail, realistic leather and hardware rendering, and painterly drapery
- Framing: Presented in a natural timber floating frame, ready to hang
- Collectability: One-of-a-kind original — once it’s gone, it’s gone
Where Will This Painting Live?
This piece suits a home that doesn’t take itself too seriously but absolutely takes its interiors seriously. Think: a styled living room or master bedroom where bold colour is already at home, a home office or dressing room that deserves a talking point, or a fashion-forward interior with a curated mix of art, texture, and personality. It holds its own at scale and makes an immediate impression.
Frequently Asked Questions
What birds are featured in Only One Guess?
The painting features two Major Mitchell’s Cockatoos (Lophochroa leadbeateri), also known as Leadbeater’s Cockatoos or Pink Cockatoos. They’re native to inland Australia and are considered one of the most beautiful birds in the world. Their distinctive red, yellow, and white crests make them a natural subject for bold, dramatic composition.
Is this painting available as a print?
Limited edition prints may be available. Sign up to my mailing list or check the prints section of my shop to see current availability. The original is a one-of-a-kind work and will not be reproduced once sold.
Does the painting come framed?
Yes. Only One Guess is presented in a natural timber floating frame and arrives ready to hang. No additional framing is required.
How is the painting shipped?
All original paintings are carefully packaged and shipped with tracking. I ship Australia-wide, and international shipping is available on request. Please get in touch before purchasing if you’re outside Australia.
Who is this painting right for?
This painting is for someone who loves Australian wildlife but wants it rendered with sophistication and a sense of humour. It suits collectors drawn to contemporary figurative painting, interior designers looking for a bold hero piece, and anyone who appreciates the absurd beauty of putting a cockatoo next to a Guess bag and making it feel completely natural.
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Additional information
| Weight | 1 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 33 × 44 × 5 cm |
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The simplest test: does it make you feel something when you look at it? Not “does it match my sofa”, does it make you feel something? If you keep coming back to the same piece, that’s your answer. I offer room mockups so you can see any work in your space before committing, and I’m always happy to answer questions before you buy.
Original paintings hold value in a way prints can’t. They are unique, hand-made objects that exist once. More than investment value though, collectors consistently tell me that living with an original changes how they feel in the room. It’s not decoration, it’s a daily experience. For those who can’t yet commit to an original, my limited edition prints offer the same image at a fraction of the cost.
Honestly, the brush in my hand is the answer. The hard part is picking it up, but once I do, everything else fades. I also meet weekly with a close artist friend to talk through what’s working and what isn’t. Having someone who genuinely understands the work, and will tell you the truth about it, is irreplaceable.
Not always, but I paint most days, even if only for an hour. My best sessions tend to happen late, when the house is quiet and music is on. There’s a particular kind of focus that comes at night that I can’t replicate in the morning. Some of my most resolved paintings were finished in those last two hours before I should have gone to bed.
Step 1: Select 3–5 collected objects with varied heights and textures.
Step 2: Arrange them on a draped surface, considering light source.
Step 3: Photograph from multiple angles.
Step 4: Choose the composition that creates the most interesting negative space.
Step 5: Transfer the key lines to canvas before opening a single tube of paint.
The most rewarding feedback I receive is when a collector tells me exactly why a painting connected with them, a memory it triggered, a feeling it gave them, or simply that it made them happy every time they walked past it. That connection is what I paint for.
Birds were my first love in painting and remain the subject I return to most. There’s something about capturing movement, delicate structure and personality within a small form that I find endlessly challenging and rewarding. Combined with my bright, no-neutral palette, bird paintings have become the work most often chosen by collectors who want something joyful and alive on their walls.
An original painting is a one-of-a-kind work painted by hand, once sold, it’s gone forever. A limited edition print is a high-quality reproduction made in a fixed number (for example, 50 copies), each numbered and signed. An open edition print has no quantity limit and is the most affordable way to own the artwork. All three are available in my shop.
Step 1: Gather objects — vases, flowers, found items.
Step 2: Style the composition and photograph it.
Step 3: Sketch the outline lightly on canvas.
Step 4: Block in the main colour areas.
Step 5: Build layers, working from dark to light.
Step 6: Detail work and final refinement.
My studio is a small, light-filled space where family often drift in and out. The setup is simple — easel, palette, reference photos pinned to a board. I style every composition before painting begins, which means the studio doubles as a styling space with op shop finds, collected vases and natural objects arranged on a small table.
An oil painting typically takes me anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks depending on size and complexity. Small works (20×20cm) can be completed in a single session, while larger still life compositions with multiple objects can take several weeks due to oil drying time between layers.