Artist : Paul Bird.

Paul first arrived in Lightning Ridge with wife Mary and daughter Julie, March 1969 to try his luck as an Opal Miner. To supplement his search he also worked in the hospitality and shearing industries.

Paul began painting in 1977, encouraged by Plein-air Artist, Ian Webb, of Rylstone NSW, as well as Pat Whitcher, the founder of the Lightning Ridge Art Society. After working alone for several years, further developing his palette of the Lightning Ridge landscape, Paul spent 2 years in 1984-85 at the Riverina College of Advance Education, Albury, studying Art and Black and White Photography.

Paul’s work can be seen at the “Bird Of Paradise Art Gallery” built by Paul, on the famous Deep Three Mile Opal Field, Lightning Ridge.

He has won many awards and art prizes. His work is in collections in Australia and around the World.

Paul has been represented at the Western Plains Cultural Centre, Dubbo and the Gunnery Gallery, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, 2007/08. as a finalist in the Country Energy $35,000 Art Prize for Landscape Painting.

Also at the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, and the Wentworth Gallery, Bligh Street, Sydney. 2008/09. as a Finalist, Country Energy Art Prize.

Paul was further represented at the Glasshouse Regional Gallery, Port Macquarie and the Cowra Regional Gallery 2010/20011 as a finalist in the Country Energy Art Prize.

Today his main interest is the semi-abstraction of the landscape of Lightning Ridge and the surrounding Black Soil Plains in which he lives.

At times he likes to paint in the more Traditional or Impressionist style.