Gallery 2:
Paintings - Landscapes and Nudities I never thought I would end up painting
people. When I was a child I was shy and awkward, prefering books and
my imagination to forming friendships. My pictures when young tended to
be devoid of people. As I grew as an artist and human being my work increasingly becomes more hyper-realist and is full of figures and portraits. Ultimately it is the human subject which most allows emotional engagement with an artwork.
Click
pictures for close ups
Madonna of the Cross Acrylic on
Panel (h)90cm x (w)137cm Private collection, Miami, Florida
This is one of my most popular images. It started with a
small watercolour done one evening at the Bourbon. The nude is more a
metaphor than a reality, put in for that inscrutible reasoning that
artists rely on so often. As John Lennon said: " Put some words
together and call it poetry. Who knows, maybe it is."
Sophia's Birthday Acrylic on
Panel (h)60cm x (w)120cm
Sophia is a very special dancer at Dancers Cabaret. She
always had a warm smile and was interested in my drawings. One day it
was her birthday, she was feeling good about herself. Thats why she is
in my painting.
Sophia's Birthday (detail) Acrylic on
Panel (h)60cm x (w)120cm
The old bar at Dancers was very small and everyone was up
close with the dancers. I was usually most interested in drawing the
expressions on the patrons. I love the theatricality of the place.
William Street Acrylic on
Canvas (h)76cm x (w)76cm
This was painted from the window of the Xu bar
(pronounced 'zoo') in the Millenium Hotel. Each evening I would set up
my easel among the diners to catch the lights and atmosphere of the
evening crush of cars and people visiting Kings Cross.
Rocks at North Maroubra Acrylic on
Canvas (h)120cm x (w)180cm
Private Collection, Sydney, Australia
Doug had a problem. He had commissioned a large landscape
from another artist. It was to be 4ft x 6ft (120cm x 180cm)and was to
be of Maroubra Beach. It was a very special (and secret) birthday
present for his wife.
The artist proved to be incapable and pulled out at the last
minute. Doug came to me and said "Can you paint a big picture and have
it ready in 10 days?"
We arranged immediately to order the canvas, and go directly to
Maroubra. In a matter of two hours I had shot 2 rolls of film,
had secretly visited Doug's house to see where the picture would
go, and was thinking about what I had seen.
By midnight that night I had made my decision about composition,
and had started the drawing on the newly stretched canvas
Rocks at North Maroubra (detail) Acrylic on
Canvas (h)120cm x (w)180cm Private
Collection, Sydney, Australia
For 10 days I barely slept. I don't think Doug realised
just how much effort and time goes into such a large landscape painting.
On the appointed day I had worked right through the night without
sleeping, and all day putting on the finishing touches. Doug had
arranged for a truck to pick it up and take it to Maroubra Surf Club
where we managed to set it up for the presentation, complete with giant
ribbon for Tenley to cut.
)
)
)
)
)
)
