KAREN Thio has lived at Emerald Beach for more than 20 years and her art practice revolves around birds, birds and more birds.

For the past eighteen months Karen has researched, drawn, etched and printed beautiful local Splendid Blue Fairy Wrens.

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After attending school in Coffs Harbour during the late 1970s, Karen moved to Sydney to follow her dreams; attending art school, living in share houses with NIDA students, and consuming red wine for dinner and cheese cake for breakfast.

Karen soon realised that lifestyle was not sustainable and decided she needed a “real job”.

40 years later, her life has come full circle; once again following her dreams and devoting herself to all things art.

She said the fairy wren is a fascinating and gregarious little bird which can be seen flitting around local headlands and beach scrub.

Karen believes the love life of the fairy wren can teach us a lot about the importance of genetic diversity.

Her upcoming art exhibition, ‘A Flurry of Fairy Wrens’, features an amazing diversity of pieces, consisting of fifteen drawings, five relief prints and five etchings.

The coloured drawings are all framed in “luxurious” gold frames sourced from opportunity shops.

“Just as our wildlife needs to be protected and conserved, so have these frames been given a second chance at life,” she said.

The relief prints and etchings are displayed in black frames with white and gold mounts.

‘A Flurry of Fairy Wrens’ is on exhibit at the Woolgoolga Art Gallery, opening on June 30 at 6pm, and extending until July 23.

Entry is $5 for members and $10 non-members.

By Andrew VIVIAN