How long have you lived on the Beaches?
The family moved to the Northern Beaches in 1975, to Elanora Heights. It was all bush and dirt tracks back then. My married life was spent living around the Manly, Queenscliff and Fairlight before returning to Elanora Heights where I still reside today.
What’s your favourite beach and why?
Queenscliff holds special memories for me while bringing up a young family and living ring side. We were always at the beach. When I wanted the boys home, the signal was a tea towel hung out of the kitchen window. The simple pleasures can’t be beaten. Catching tiddlers and crabbing with the boys after school. Eating watermelon with our legs cooling off in the water as the tide was surging into the lagoon. Priceless.
What inspired the cover?
I have always loved Night Jars, so when I saw a photo taken by my friend Julie Williams of a couple of Tawny Frogmouths sitting on her verandah, I had to paint them. That led to more drawings and paintings of these gorgeous funny little characters. I started this series in February, not knowing Tawnies were going to be bird of the year!
How would you describe your art?
These days I usually work with Acrylics. Having always loved flora and fauna, I would say my style is Contemporary Botanical.
What is your favourite part of the process?
Setting up my still lifes of teapots, cups, and bowls of fruit and vases of flowers. Loading the brush with thick creamy paint and applying those first marks onto the primed canvas. And the final touches of fine-tuning when you stand back and say enough, finished.
Which artists or other inspiring people, dead or alive, would you like most to have dinner with?
So many. The French Impressionists with their freedom of colour and light. Living artists must be Cressida Campbell for her wood block paintings and Lucy Culliton for her still lifes and garden studies. But the artist I would most enjoy having dinner with is my good friend, Stephanie Galloway Brown, painter extraordinaire known for her expressive portraiture work.
How did you discover you had a gift?
I really thought everyone drew and painted. It wasn’t until I was at school in art class that I realised the practice of drawing and painting came easy to me. Thank goodness. I was crap at maths.
What are you currently working on?
A still life series featuring flowering gums, fruits and native birds with Pittwater glimpses – all for my upcoming show in February.
What’s your favourite thing about what you do?
Contemplating the subject matter, drawing up little thumb nail sketches and hunting for flowers and fruits for my still life. I must admit I do have a passion for our beautiful flowering gum blossoms and pomegranates.
What advice do you have for young or aspiring artists?
Draw anything and everything. Try as many different techniques and mediums as possible, and seek out art classes and workshops with other like-minded people.
You are invited to Mignon’s solo show, Flowers, Fruit and Feathers at Art Gallery on Avalon Beach, 18-22 February 2026. Opening night drinks Thursday 19th (5-8pm). Follow @mignonparkerart on Instagram for all updates. And for commissions, email mignonparker2@gmail.com
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