Natasha Muhl Fulfills Design Dream With Birds Of Australia

The following is a press release from the Perth Mint

The opportunity to design the entire Birds of Australia coin series was dream come true for Perth Mint designer Natasha Muhl.

The self-confessed ‘bird nerd' grew up in the Kimberley in the North West of Australia where her family had a keen interest in birds �" enabling her to look back on childhood photographs as part of her preparation and research for the series.

As she observes: "It was great to use one of my life passions to inspire my work." Her beautiful drawings clearly demonstrate a remarkable affinity for all things avian.



Tash, as she prefers to be known, dreamed of becoming an illustrator as a youngster. A modest person, she recalls she never thought it would come true!

But after training as a graphic designer at Perth's Central Institute, The Perth Mint snapped up the young talent and she's subsequently put her name to some memorable coins.

Tash's approach to illustrating is traditional. "Innovation is something that certainly motivates the coin design team and we're always on the lookout for new ideas. However, I pride myself on being a bit of a traditionalist, and I prefer modest methods such as drafting each design with pencil and paper, before bringing it to life on the computer," she explains.

"I find it really helps to get my imagination flowing, and I love the process of getting my creations down on paper."

It's obvious that coming to work for Tash is a joy. Every day she gets to do what she's always wanted. That's satisfying for her and great news for fans of her work, who can expect to see many more of her distinctive depictions.

"I hope to be here for many years to come, working on a variety of classic designs," she beams.