Big Fish · ABC Australia

The Big Fish: Meet Fish Artist Trevor Hawkins

·50 min·4 clips

Meet Trevor Hawkins, Australia's premier fish artist using watercolours to help save the endangered blue-nose cod.

This episode of The Big Fish with host Scott Levi features an interview with Trevor Hawkins, a celebrated Australian artist specializing in fish. Hawkins is renowned for his detailed watercolor paintings and sculptures of freshwater fish in their natural habitats. The conversation centers on his artistic process and a specific conservation project. Hawkins explains he began using art to illustrate fish for presentations at his local fishing club in Victoria. He primarily uses watercolor for its ability to capture the subtle color nuances of fish, but also works with acrylics, oils, and digital tools. A key project involves creating artwork for the "blue-nosed cod," a fish officially known as the trout cod, to aid in its identification and conservation. The artwork will be featured on T-shirts, hats, and stickers to help anglers distinguish this endangered species from the similar-looking Murray cod and ensure its safe release. Hawkins notes that fish coloration varies dramatically based on their specific micro-environment, like clear versus muddy water, providing an ever-changing palette. He sometimes exaggerates these colors slightly for artistic effect. The host highlights Hawkins's painting titled "Mountain Gold," which depicts a brilliantly colored brook trout. Hawkins believes visual art is more powerful than written descriptions for fish identification, a principle applied in fishing magazines like *Fly Life* that have featured his work. The artist also creates three-dimensional fish sculptures from wood, which he paints with watercolor, a practice he began to slow down his painting output. He expresses a particular fondness for native Australian species, emphasizing the need for their care and conservation. The tone is conversational, relaxed, and educational, reflecting a shared passion for fishing and art between the host and guest. Listeners interested in fishing, wildlife art, or Australian freshwater ecology will find this episode engaging. Those seeking fast-paced action or saltwater fishing topics might find it less appealing.

As heard by us

A fishing chat with art and conservation threaded through it, and a loose pace that fits the material.

Trevor Hawkins comes across as a fish artist with real range. The episode leans on his Victoria-based painting of fish in their natural setting, often in watercolour, but it does not stay there.

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Why you'd press play

For fish art, fishing lore, and a blue-nosed cod conservation thread.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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