Where the Wild Still Belongs

When I look at cities, I see tall buildings, busy roads and places where people live. But I also wonder who lived there before us. This painting shows a Grassland Earless Dragon, one of Australia’s unique native reptiles. I painted it much larger than the city because I wanted people to stop and notice it. Animals are often small enough to be ignored, yet their lives are just as important as ours. The buildings in the background represent the world that humans continue to create. The lizard in the foreground represents the natural world that has been here for thousands of years. As cities expand, many native animals lose the places where they find food, shelter and safety. I chose warm colours and detailed textures for the lizard to show its strength, beauty and resilience. The cooler colours of the buildings create a contrast. To me, this artwork is about respect. We often think we are sharing the land with wildlife, but really, wildlife shared it with us first. I hope people will remember that every native animal deserves a safe place to live. If my painting encourages even one person to care more about Australia’s wildlife, then the lizard has already found its voice.