The third of the scarecrow paintings, I did this specifically for the McLaren Vale Prize, 'paintings with a vineyard theme'. I wanted the scarecrow to be skeletally bare, bound, and raised as some flag-waving celebration to the rape of the landscape.

I found the red oil drum on a visit to the local dump and paid 50c for it. My husband and I then lit and photographed endless fires to establish the shape of the joyfully destructive flames. The branches came from fallen trees in our scrub, and filled the studio for a long time.

It was an endlessly difficult piece and, of course, I didn't win that category, although I did win another one, with Gumtrees and Pelicans, and sold the painting.

** There are more notes on the Scarecrow on the Compare Scarecrows Page.