Lifelike Birds Emerge from Foliage in Painted Paper Reliefs by The Paper Ark

From meticulously cut and painted pieces of paper, realistic birds emerge amid foliage and forests in compositions by The Paper Ark. The collaborative practice of Nayan Shrimali and Venus Bird, which focuses on intricate paper reliefs, also centers on ecology by illustrating real species and their habitats around the world. The duo aims to raise awareness of biodiversity and conservation by evoking a sense of wonder akin to how we also often feel in nature.

The artists recently exhibited a number of the pieces shown here with Antler Gallery at Seattle Art Fair, and “Great Green Macaws” appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of Audubon Magazine. See more on The Paper Ark’s Instagram.

a painted paper composition of two realistic hyacinth macaws sitting amid foliage — “Hyacinth Macaw”

a painted paper composition of an eastern meadowlark amid some foliage, with the artist holding a small paintbrush next to it to show its small scale — “Eastern Meadowlark”

a painted paper composition of two realistic great green macaws sitting amid foliage — “Great Green Macaws”

a painted paper composition of a long-tailed parakeet amid a rainforest, with the artist's hand applying the bird to the surface with tweezers — “Long-tailed Parakeet in Clementi Rainforest”

a painted paper composition of two realistic Baltimore Orioles sitting amid foliage — “Baltimore Oriole”

a painted paper composition of a realistic great horned owl flying in a desert scene — “Desert Dreams (Great Horned Owl)”

a painted paper composition of two realistic red cardinals sitting amid foliage — “Red Cardinal”

a painted paper composition of a realistic pileated woodpecker feeding its young in the trunk of a tree — “Pileated Woodpecker 2”

a painted paper composition of a great horned owl sitting on a tree limb — “Great Horned Owl”

a painted paper composition of two realistic macaw parrots flying through a forest — “Diurnal Wings of Amazonia”

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