Welcome to the very first letter from The Hidden Ant Society

I'm so glad you're here — and I mean that genuinely. I've spent thirty years painting mostly in solitude, so the idea of building a community around this work is something that still feels a little new and wonderful to me. These letters are my way of opening the studio door, and I hope they become something you actually look forward to each month.

Before you read another word — take a look at this month's print. Before you read another word — take a look at this month's print. There are 3 ants in this month's print,  two will be plain to see in the progress photos, the third will be more of a challenge!  See if you can find it before I give you a hint at the end.  

This Month: King's Branch — King Parrot

I have chosen to start The Hidden Ant Society with a painting that I truly loved creating.

King's Branch was painted back in August 2021. King Parrots are regular visitors to my property in Vacy, and I find myself stopping to admire them every single time they arrive. They are shy-natured birds, yet wonderfully inquisitive — always looking for a sneaky seed treat from my pet Galah, Kevin.

Kevin is a rescue bird and he's been part of the family for over 8 years now. Due to an injury to his wing as a youngster he can't fly. But he still has fun climbing trees and getting into mischief when I let him out of his aviary.

Kevin has a habit of spilling from his seed bowl, and the King Parrots have clearly taken note. Because of this I've had plenty of opportunities to observe them up close and gather reference photos over the years.

A theme I enjoy is creating interactive scenes between two completely different species. So in this painting, accompanying the King Parrot is a tiny Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog — another resident of my garden, and one of my favourite subjects to paint.

Behind the Painting

After settling on my reference photos, I sketch the composition onto paper, fine-tuning the subjects until I'm happy with the format. I then trace the outline onto my Claybord.

Once I've masked out the bird, branch, and frog, I airbrush the background. A general rule I work by is painting from the background forward — always building in layers.

 

Mixing a range of greens and blues, I built up a forest setting on the Claybord. Once the background was complete, I held a rigid piece of cardboard just above the painting and, using a slow steady motion, airbrushed sunlight rays with a thin wash of Titanium White. Sun rays are always satisfying to add — they enhance the direction of light and give the whole scene an extra sense of depth.

The airbrushed paint dries relatively quickly, so within about thirty minutes I was able to remove the masked areas and reveal the foreground elements. I always find this moment genuinely exciting — it's the first time the painting starts to feel real.

Now for the detail work. I decided to begin on the right-hand side, focusing on the vines and the Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog. Frogs are always a favourite to paint — there's something about their texture and those wonderful eyes. And I couldn't resist adding a couple of ants on the vine. But I don't like even numbers when it comes to ants in my artworks — so there would be one more added before this painting was finished. Stay tuned.

Next came the King Parrot's eye — I always love this moment, when the interaction between my two subjects begins to come alive.

I used masking tape again to protect the area where the fern leaves would sit in front of the parrot's chest. It takes extra time, but it makes the fern leaves truly pop once they're painted in. From here I alternated between the bird and the branch, always working toward the foreground. The final step was painting the parrot's feet.

Did You Find the Ant?

While I've been walking you through the process — did you find the third ant?

He's sitting at the top of the composition, looking out into the sun rays from a fern leaf.

If you spotted him before reading this, I'd love to know. Tag me or share your find in The Hidden Ant Society Facebook group — the community is already gathering there and members love to compare notes.

A Note on the Hint

Each month I'll include a hint to the ant's location — but only at the end of the letter, so you have the chance to find him first if you'd like to. Consider it a small monthly ritual.

Your Members-Only Discount This Month

As a Hidden Ant Society member, you receive an exclusive monthly discount on the featured artwork.

This month: 30% off King's Branch in all sizes and mediums.

Use code KINGS30 at checkout.
Valid until 14 June 2026.

Shop King's Branch here.

A Note on What Your Membership Supports

5% of profits from every Hidden Ant Society membership goes directly to Port Stephens Koalas and Cedar Creek Wombat Rescue and Hospital. These are organisations doing extraordinary work caring for injured and orphaned native wildlife, and I'm proud to support them. In a small way, your membership does too.

The Hidden Ant Society Members Community

If you haven't already, come and join us in the private Facebook group here.
This is a closed group exclusively for Hidden Ant Society members. I will be sharing behind-the-scenes content from current projects, answering questions, and the community is already a warm and welcoming place.

Next Month

Next month I'll be revisiting a painting from 2022 that holds a special place for me — an Azure Kingfisher titled Eye of the Beholder. I'll walk you through the techniques behind it and share what I find so endlessly compelling about this particular bird.

Until then, thank you for being part of The Hidden Ant Society from the very beginning. It means more than I can say.

 

Nat