Drawing,
Return of the Hornbills

The Oriental Pied Hornbill is a native bird of Singapore. It is a large, majestic bird with a unique bill shape. During the mid 1800s, the Oriental Pied Hornbill disappeared from Singapore, driven away by hunting, destruction of the natural environment, food supply and nesting trees through clearing of forested areas. Around 1994, almost 150 years later, the Oriental Pied Hornbill was once again seen in Singapore, on the offshore island of Pulau Ubin, and more recently, on mainland Singapore. This demonstrates that it may never be too late to repair damage to the environment and the possibility of animals and humans coexisting in a modern civilization. We must balance the need for progress and prosperity with conservation of the natural world.

This artwork depicts 18 Oriental Pied Hornbills (9 in each panel) against a backdrop of modern Singapore. In Chinese culture, the number 9 represents eternal harmony. In a perfect world, modern civilization and the natural environment would exist in eternal harmony. "Return of the Hornbill to Singapore " depicts this eternal harmony. Modern civilization and nature coexisting in eternal harmony.

The media for all of the detail in this artwork is graphite pencil on paper. Pastel pencil was used to provide contrasting color for the background areas. This creates an interesting mood for the scene and highlights the detail.