The Hybrid Collection
The Beloved Bin Chicken
The inspiration for this bucket hat comes from my first encounter with the Australian white ibis. Its long, elegant silhouette instantly reminded me of the sacred ibis of ancient Egypt—a bird once revered as a symbol of divinity. In contrast, here in Australia, it’s often dismissed as the “bin chicken” for its scavenging habits, earning little admiration. Despite this, I see beauty in its resilience and form. I chose to honour the ibis by painting it in full elegance on my first public mural in Melbourne—feeding not from bins, but from golden flowers. This hat carries that same spirit: finding beauty and grace where others might overlook it.
The Ticklish Moon
My work often drifts into the world of imagination, and beetles have always found a way in. With their vibrant colours and endless shapes, they feel like nature’s tiny sculptures—half real, half myth. I like to invent my own, creatures that might crawl out of dreams and into murals.
This blue beetle appears only at night. It climbs the sky in silence, brushing against the moon with delicate legs. As it passes, it leaves behind a soft shadow—bending the light, carving the full moon into a crescent. A quiet trickster playing with the cosmos.
The Scarab of Luck
As a kid, I used to carry a small scarab amulet in my pocket for good luck—something about it felt powerful, like it held its own quiet magic. That memory stayed with me. This blue beetle is inspired by those ancient Egyptian scarabs once believed to guide the rising sun. But mine follows the moon instead.
As a night owl at heart, I’ve always felt drawn to the moon’s quiet mystery. This little scarab cradles the new moon, a symbol of fresh beginnings and quiet luck in the dark.