The Last Dinosaurs

This illustration was published in the Our Australian HeART Anthology. The prompt was to create an image that showed why we loved Australia. My response was as follows:

I moved around a lot growing up. I had already lived in Cairo, Manama and Hurghada before moving to Australia at the age of 8. When we arrived in Broome, WA, it was to a tin shed airport, red dirt and sweltering tropical heat. There was one paved road in town and the kids ran around barefoot. This was my introduction to Australia, and I fell in love.

My time in Broome really fostered my love of animals and nature. Our bungalow was always filled with Green Tree Frogs and the bush was filled with creatures I’d never heard of. There was a wildness to the Australian landscape there that really caught me. It felt like dinosaurs could be hiding just around the corner.

These are the feelings and memories I tried to capture in my digital illustration The Last Dinosaurs. I hope that the finished piece triggers curiosity and an appreciation for our beautiful, unique Australian environment.