Green Ringtail Possum and Gympie Gympie

W - 41cm, H - 31cm, D - 4cm

Painted with a leaf imprinted water colour background and acrylic paints for the main subject matter being the Green Ringtail possum and the plant it likes to eat the Gympie Gympie. 

The Green Ringtail Possum only found in the tropical rainforests of Northeast Queensland. They are predominately tree dwellers and are one of the very few animals that have adapted to be able to eat the leaves of what is arguably the ‘venomous’ plant in the world, the Gympie Gympie (Dendrocnide moroides).  These plants are part of the nettle family, and their leaves have tiny needles on them that sting when touched, some people described this feeling as feeling like you're being electrocuted.  
 
I found this information incredibly interesting and decided to base this painting around the Green Ringtail Possum and the Gympie Gympie plant. These ringtail possums are extremely cute and do have an olive-green tinge to their fur, which I found fascinating and very appealing to paint, along with their big round amber eyes and not mention the juicy forbidden berries of the Gympie Gympie.