What lives in the hours when most people sleep? For me, those late-night hours feel like truth. And I started wondering what Australian creatures felt most at home when the world goes quiet.
The Seed of the Collection
I had been enjoying painting individual animals that fascinated me.
A cockatoo. A possum. A barn owl. A frilled lizard with serious attitude. But as decided which animals to paint next my list grew to about thirty different Australian creatures, I realized I needed more than just individual pieces. I needed collections that felt intentional, not random.
Looking at the animals I'd chosen, I noticed something: they all shared this quality of being most themselves after dark. These weren't just Australian animals — they were Australian nocturnal animals. Creatures who've figured out that the interesting stuff happens when everyone else goes to bed.
That commonality became the organizing principle. Not because I set out to paint night creatures, but because I discovered that the animals calling to me all happened to own the darkness.
The Energy That Unites The
Every animal in The Nightstalkers Collection moves with purpose under cover of darkness. A possum claiming her territory. An owl judging everything from the shadows. A bat who's figured out that darkness isn't scary, it's comforting.
What they share isn't just their nocturnal nature. It's their refusal to perform for anyone. When the world goes quiet, these creatures reveal who they really are. Unapologetic. Authentic. Completely themselves.
They're night creatures, but they're also truth creatures.
Telling Their Story In Black & White
Working in monochrome lets me focus on what matters most: character, contrast, and the power of negative space. When you remove color, you're left with pure personality emerging from shadow.
These creatures already live in a world of dramatic contrast, the stark white face of a barn owl against darkness, the way a possum's eyes catch light, the theatrical display of a frilled lizard. Black and white doesn't limit their stories. It reveals them.
Starting from black gessoed paper, I build light up from darkness. Which feels perfect for creatures who've made darkness their home. They're not hiding in shadows, they're emerging from them.
Meet the Cast
Dame Hush — The Owl Who Sees Through You
Silent, steady, soul-staring elegance with feathers. She doesn't ask to be noticed, but once she's in the room, you feel her presence.
Mischievous Miss — Backyard Possum, Suburban Queen
The backyard bandit with no intention of apologizing. She's figured out suburban life and made it work entirely on her terms.
Frill Seeker — Spotlight Lover
The fabulous show-off who always steals the spotlight. When the moment calls for drama, she delivers — and loves every second of it.
Nocturnally Yours — The Flying Fox Wrapped in Power
Wrapped in shadow, soft as midnight. She transforms solitude from something you endure into something you welcome.
Roo the Night — Kangaroo Power Without the Bounce
Powerful, poised, completely present. She doesn't bounce — she lands, and stays exactly where she needs to be.
Lady Grumps: Eucalyptus-Fueled Koala with Zero Patience.
Today she not in the mood, and maybe she won't be tomorrow. Or ever. Sometimes the most honest response to the world is a good, solid frown.
Little Croaker: Your Friendly Neighborhood Frog
He just shows up when you need him most. This character chose a different path. You'll find him exclusively in our Paper Trails: The Inner Fold subscription, and at our biannual open house events where he joins other pieces on their own unique journeys.
The Collection Experience
Six of these characters form the core Nightstalkers Collection, available as both original artworks and fine art prints. Each piece works beautifully alone, but together they create this neighborhood of personalities that understand the power of being authentic when no one's watching. And the seventh available exclusively in our as our Paper Trails Club Monthly Print or available when our open house is opened.
Whether you're drawn to Dame Hush's quiet authority, Mischievous Miss's suburban confidence, or Frill Seeker's unapologetic drama, you're connecting with creatures who've mastered the art of being completely themselves.
Living with The Nightstalkers
These pieces work in spaces where authenticity matters. Home offices where real work gets done. Reading corners where deep thinking happens. Anywhere someone appreciates characters who don't perform, they just are.
Their monochrome presence creates calm without being boring, sophistication without being precious. They ground a space while adding personality. (Classic nightstalker behavior.)
Sometimes the most interesting conversations happen after everyone else has gone to bed. The Nightstalkers understand this perfectly.
→ Explore the Nightstalker Collection
-
Dame Hush Fine Art Print
From $45.00 Buy This Artwork This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page Current Collection -
Mischievous Miss Fine Art Print
From $45.00 Buy This Artwork This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page Current Collection -
Nocturnally Yours Fine Art Print
From $45.00 Buy This Artwork This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page Current Collection -
Frill Seeker Fine Art Print
From $45.00 Buy This Artwork This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page Current Collection -
Roo the Night Fine Art Print
From $45.00 Buy This Artwork This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page Current Collection -
Lady Grumps Fine Art Print
From $45.00 Buy This Artwork This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page Current Collection
