Archibald 2007

In 2006, I was heartened by the Winner of the Archibald Prize. Marcus Wills painting was and is brilliant testimony to hard work, good painting ideas and skills, as well as a belief of the 'self'. I always feel that prizes are so political and last year the Archie awardee made me think, well perhaps credibility and talent are finally been rewarded.

Sadly, 2007 is disappointing to say the least. Not that they are all bad, I like Peter Hudson's portrait of Paul Kelly.



Then there is the self portrait by Robert Hannaford, always a popular artist with the public. Its a honest portrait of the artist going through the treatment of cancer (note the tube from his stomach) in all its frontal assault. You don't get much more truthful about yourself than that.



I have to agree with John MacDonald in the Sydney Morning Herald the other day...why are there so many politicians in this field of candidates? SMH I was interested to learn in his article of the subjects in this years choice how many current and former trustees of the gallery are portrayed.

What is with Rodney Pople's painting being selected. It is a blatent copy of another artists work and I think it is curious that it be included...



Here is the famous photograph "Leap into The Void" by Yves Klein (1928-1962)



Actually if you are interested in portraiture, a much better prize to follow is the BP Portrait Prize held at the National Gallery in London each year...take a look BP Prize

Who's Who in South Australia 2007

Just been advised that my bio will be listed in the inaugural edition of Who's Who in South Australia 2007. Its along with about 3000 other South Australians but hey its good to be included and valued as an artist, along with politicians, business people etc!!! The publication will be available on March 30 2007.

Night Photos

My other love is grabbing the camera and ambling about taking photos...My partner Jim paints the sky so we are always gazing upward with the camera...So, whilst out waiting for the comet to appear a couple of weeks back, I swiped the camera off him, after I spied what I thought would be a great shot. I'm really happy with the way it turned out...the lights of the fairground reflected in the window, the day, just fading over the old tower by the beach.

So, then, (we are always fighting over the camera!!!!), I took this rather strange image of Comet McNaught when it was dark enough to see it. This was almost the last night it was visible in our skies. This was all taken from Semaphore Beach by the old Palais on a warm summers night.

Summer Show @ Michael Carr

If you are in Sydney you'll find one of my works hanging at Michael Carr Gallery in the exhibition "Summer Palette" Through February 2007
The show includes works by the following artists as well as myself:
Michael Taylor, Nic Fiddian-Green, Fred Williams, Brett Whiteley, Lloyd Rees, John Hoyland,James McGrath,Gretchen Albrecht,
William Eicholtz and Sam Leach

Artbank

2007 has already started off really well for me with the news that Artbank has purchased my painting "Equilibrium". This work is first going to TarraWarra for a show surveying contemporary still life as a genre in Australia in a variety of mediums. It is very good to be involved in museum shows and be purchased by a public collection. I hope that many people will see the work and be made aware of what I've been doing quietly working away in my studio in Adelaide.

About this blog

I've decided to make this a personal notation about my thoughts and observations as an artist, the ups and downs as good and bad things come my way, as well as commenting on the ever present difficulties that I face in continuing my practice.

I hope you'll share with me your thoughts as well.