A PORTRAIT OF SUCCESS IN FAILURE
Size: 91cm (W) x 91cm (H)
Media: Acrylic, collage on stretched canvas, unframed
PRIVATE COLLECTION
seemed to stand out at least to me for the way it was portrayed
so aggressively competitive.
One commentator described it as war.
The painting I have done here "The Third Test" addresses
the subjects of VICTORY and DEFEAT.
“The Third Test” questions our ideas about the concepts of winning and losing. Interestingly in life some people think they win but really they lose. Conversely some people may lose but actually win.
So what are The First and Second Tests?
The First Test might have something to do with our participation/contribution to life.
The Second Test could be about whether we are doing the best we can do..
One commentator described it as war.
the subjects of VICTORY and DEFEAT.
 |
| Alastair Cook was the English Cricket Captain who came under aggressive criticism during the 2013 Test Series. He and his team might have lost the Series but he was a real winner. |
The Second Test could be about whether we are doing the best we can do..
*****
LIFEBUOY (Artist's Self Portrait) (2015)
Media: Digital composition
Selling Price: Priceless
Credit: Original photo of artist by Kinnie Ho
Credit: Original photo of artist by Kinnie Ho
We're all heading towards the light. Like it or not.
It's just that some know that is the journey they are travelling.
It took me quite some while to complete this artwork.
Like 61 years.
Though once yoo know what you're about it's easy.
*****
JOHN (circa 1982)
Size: 61cm H x 61cm W
Medium: Photo on canvas stretcher
NFS
John has always liked colour.
I've heard him say...
"Everyone dressed in black, everything black, awful.
I don't know why people don't choose a variety of colours."
The rainbow shower photo above was taken in the bathroom
of the grand old terrace where he lived in Paddington
across the road from the Town Hall.
*****
CHRIS (Detail/1988)
Size: Approx. 100cm x 100cm
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
PRIVATE COLLECTION
This portrait is based on a photograph Chris sent to me from Adelaide.
On the back of that photo he wrote...
"This is the blank dumb look; I don't get rid of it until 9am."
Be assured there is nothing blank or dumb about Chris.
He is asute, informed, articulate and with it.
He knows what's going on around him.
I wish I had a better picture of the artwork so you could see it more clearly.
There's a lot of detail in it as there is in Chris!
*****
Columbine, love yoo! (circa 1993)
[FOR A PERIOD I HAD TITLED THIS ARTWORK 'AUNTIE MAME']
Size: 125cm W x 96cm H
Media: Acrylic on board (Box Frame under perspex)
PRIVATE COLLECTION
This artwork was painted when I was an art student.
The original subject was a fellow student who had had a pretty tough life. Her art at that time was dominated by broken and torn dolls.
In the face of her difficult life she was forthright and presented to the world with her head held high in some defiance of any dross she might encounter.
She made me feel sad but at the same time I could admire her persistence in the face of her challenging life.
I chose here to paint her inner dignity, beauty, vivacity and spontaneity. Nothing was going to hold her back from moving forward with her life.
The success of this artwork is in its spontaneity.
This is something Auntie Mame knew all about. NW☺︎
*****
HIROFUMI (1999)
Size: Approx. 65cm x 65cm
Medium: Sand blasting on mirror
PRIVATE COLLECTION
The last time I saw Hirofumi he was standing along side Molly Meldrum in a
TV advertisement promoting something or other.
In Melbourne we visited 'The Old Melbourne Gaol'
and he seemed fascinated with the place
eventually later even sending me a postcard about it (reproduced here).
Paradoxically for someone interested in gaol he was one of the most free spirited people
I've ever known. Nothing could or would ever contain him.
He'd say "I just want to have fun."
He liked to describe himself as the "Dolphin Boy".
*****
NICOLA (1992)
Size: 84cm H x 60cm W
Medium: Acrylic on cartridge paper
POA
I went to the National Art School with Nicola.
She seemed to be a quiet person very much staying in the background.
Noted that she had a most beautifully sensitive artwork exhibited in the Sulman Prize
a few years back. Good to see her blossoming creatively.
*****
JAMES (circa 1995)
Size: 19cm H x Base: 64cm W x 35cm D
Medium: Fired clay, lime wash on sanded Japan Black wooden base
POA
James was a most quirky individual.
Even though of Asian heritage he was really something of an eccentric Englishman
right down to the way he spoke. Very proper English.
There is no photo of him here because he never allowed his picture to be taken.
*****
GEORGE (circa 1978)
Medium: Black & white photograph
From the Artist's Archives
Of the thousands of pictures I've taken over the years
the black and white photograph above
is one I particularly like because of the light and composition.
It also shows George with a certain dignity which he possesses.
George always showed responsibility yet he had this element to him of not
taking anything too seriously.
He now lives at the foot of the Parthenon in Greece.
*****
REMEMBERING RUSSELL PROWSE (2012)
Size: 100cm wide x 120cm high
Size: 100cm wide x 120cm high
Medium: Acrylic, gold leaf, encaustic, corrugated cardboard collage
on plywood (unframed)
PRIVATE COLLECTION
I had the great privilege of working for the late Russell Blair Prowse OBE
during the 1970's.
This is a metaphorical portrait of him as a vase of blooming apricot roses.
The apricot roses are a reference to the rosebuds he picked out of his garden
The apricot roses are a reference to the rosebuds he picked out of his garden
and wore in his lapel.
This man was a leader and a teacher.
While he was a conservative, disciplined, balanced
and ordered man he was also highly creative and a humane human being.
and ordered man he was also highly creative and a humane human being.
So I have tried to present a certain formality in the work
but also the spontaneous and expressiveness of his creativity.
In this artwork I have wanted to say something more about the man himself.
*****
*****
*****
STUDY 1 STUDY 2
Studies for “CALVI AND THE GUIDES”(circa 1995)
Size: Each approx. 70cm W x 50cm H
Size: Each approx. 70cm W x 50cm H
Medium: Study 1 – Egg carton cardboard collage, gold leaf,
acrylic on canvas board, framed
Study 2 – Acrylic, collage, binder medium on canvas board, framed
Both are held in separate private collections.
These are metaphorical portraits of people as flowers.
Here we have bunches of beautiful roses.
Roses quite often come with both love and thorns.
Some though take the time, care and pay attention to detail
by removing the thorns before presenting their bouquet.
John Calvi is that sort of a person.
*****
JEFFREY (circa 1992)
Size: Approx. 80cm W x 110cm H
Medium: Acrylic, collage on board
Work exhibited in the Mardi Gras Community Art Exhibition (circa 1993)
Artwork held in Artist's Archives
Artwork held in Artist's Archives
Jeffrey in this artwork amply exemplified the new Australian.
And this is not necessarily a reference to his country of origin.
But maybe his cultural heritage does help.
What I'm saying is that Jeffrey had the courage, strength, capacity, resilience
and the motivation to act and make an impact on his world.
He certainly wasn't standing there blaming anyone else for his lot in life.
*****
"LA COMMEDIA DELL ARTE NELLA CASA" (2008)
(The Comedy of Arts in the house)
Size: 16 panels each 50cm x 50cm x 5cm
Media: Acrylic, paper dots on pressed board and stretched canvas
The canvases are the property of the individuals featured.
This still is from an exhibition featuring 16 of the staff from the Sydney Opera House.
Each of these individuals was invited to participate because they were/are
outstanding examples of people who are the glue that hold the place together.
And where would we be without people such as this in our society?
The reverse of each of these portraits carries a stylised letter.
When the panels are lined up in sequence the letters spell * R-E-C-O-N-N-E-C-T-I-O-N *.
This must surely be the big issue of our time!
*****
ENDO (circa 2005)
“To be, or not to be?” Kings Cross Summer
Size: 210cm W x 122cm H x 5cm D
Medium: Spray paints, varnish, wooden cut out figure,
heavy quality canvas stretched over wooden frame
$3,000
Endo stood out as someone who liked excellence and doing things properly.
His standards were extremely high. He was disciplined.
This was a man on a mission and it was his mission to seek a kind of perfection.
This was a man on a mission and it was his mission to seek a kind of perfection.
He presented to the world the face and persona he wanted you to see.
The artwork endeavours to look beyond the facade.
Endo's outlined figure could be any person seeking answers
driven to absolute choices by the crazy world in which we live.
The swimming pool is a symbol of the uncertainties we face in life.
Hence the message “CAREFUL DEEP WATER”. Being pink it could also be 'hot water'.
Perhaps the repetitive tile pattern is a rigidity or the formality of what life can be
for so many?
Endo's clear figure (to the right) can catch the light when viewed at certain angles.
It is the same outlined cut-out figure that is throwing a shadow
It is the same outlined cut-out figure that is throwing a shadow
across the scene (to the left).
These elements address in our lives the light and dark, the bright spots
These elements address in our lives the light and dark, the bright spots
and the shadows, to be present or not.
Endo's silhouetted figure appears to be walking on the water
which can be a nod to the highest part of ourselves and the spirit to survive
or to rise above it all amidst the difficulties of life's many challenges.
or to rise above it all amidst the difficulties of life's many challenges.
Ultimately it is a positive painting...
We need to acknowledge the darkness to appreciate the light.
*****
SAM (1999)
Size: Life Size
Medium: Cardboard boxes, acrylic, encaustic, indelible ink,
bitumen, bromide and canvas panels.
Original artwork held in Artist's archives
bitumen, bromide and canvas panels.
Original artwork held in Artist's archives
Sam is one of those sparkling diamonds you can occasionally find amongst us.
The artwork here is a digitally enhanced photo of an original artwork
where Sam's sculptured figure in cardboard
is placed in front of four patterned black and white canvas panels.
The original work is meant to be displayed with Sam's sculptured figure
emerging vertically from the patterned background.
That is from the cocoon of his conditioning into the full rainbow colours of a butterfly.
The butterfly's wings would be multi-coloured changing lights around the figure.
*****
.JPG)
NEVILLE (1991)
Size: 120cm H x 130cm W
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Original artwork held in Artist's archives
*****
*****
.JPG)
NEVILLE (1991)
Size: 120cm H x 130cm W
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Original artwork held in Artist's archives
Truth is when I painted this picture I didn't feel very loveable.
It was z\a dark and depressing period in my life. Year 1 Art School 1991.
I had to really struggle to find any shades of colour at this time.
Oscar Wilde through a character in one of his plays says it poetically:-
“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
My interpretation of what he is saying is that we are not here to master life.
We need to let life master us. Not sure though that Oscar would have seen it that way!
We can fight it.
We can want to be the way we want "it" to be whether we're talking
about ourselves or everything around us. Control freaks. In charge.
But we're not.
The happiest people I've known and know
accept their place and walk with life.
It's nice now to be a small part of something big...LIFE!
*****
AUSTRALIAN RETRO (1961, 2011) (2011)
Size: Two panels each measures 60cm W x 60cm H x 5cm D
Medium: Acrylic, pencil on stretched canvas, unframed
PRIVATE COLLECTION
A portrait of my parents at home in the Western suburbs of Sydney.
Their fibro cottage built by my carpenter father was painted Wisteria,
Green or Blue at different times.
They are* open, simple, friendly, down to earth grass roots Australians
who earned everything they got by placing one foot after the other.
They are* open, simple, friendly, down to earth grass roots Australians
who earned everything they got by placing one foot after the other.
They know the meaning of hard work and don't expect anything from anyone.
I wanted them to be seen in the bright light of day
as this mostly matches their outlook on life.
* Sadly my Father passed away in 2015.
as this mostly matches their outlook on life.
* Sadly my Father passed away in 2015.
*****
PORTRAIT OF A SYDNEY FAMILY (2009)
(clockwise) Meet Howard, Sue, Joshua, Ariane & Nathan
(clockwise) Meet Howard, Sue, Joshua, Ariane & Nathan
Size: Four panels each measures 50cm x 50cm x 4cm
Medium: Acrylic, glitter paint, pearl pigments on stretched canvas
PRIVATE COMMISSION
We get plenty of opportunity to be “consumers” or to take in our world today.
But how much opportunity do we get to be “producers” or to be creative?
And even if we get that opportunity to be creative do we take it?
The word “sustainable” almost seems to be over used nowadays
but it can be comfortably said that this family live sustainable lives.
They give easily as good as they may take in quite a literal sense.
PS Bondi Beach appears in the background of this portrait.
You might chance upon members of this family
if you're walking down there on a sunny day.
*****
...JUST ONE MORE
REMEMBERING ROBERT (2016)
Panel 3 from the artwork "THE THREE WISE HARLEQUINS"
Media: Mixed media on board
Artwork held in Artist's Archives
Artwork held in Artist's Archives
At his funeral I described him as the most beautiful person I've ever known.
Bob displayed the very best of us. He was an extraordinary ordinary person.
Bob displayed the very best of us. He was an extraordinary ordinary person.
So in the artwork here it is entirely appropriate that he is representing the best of
the "everyman" and "everywoman" amongst us.
Below this third panel shown on the assembled finished artwork his words appear...
"I bear no guilt for 200 years
Below this third panel shown on the assembled finished artwork his words appear...
"I bear no guilt for 200 years
I also bear no blame
But if I cannot reconcile
I have to share the shame."
- ROBERT WRIGHT
Here's another appropriate piece of wisdom from Robert :-
Here's another appropriate piece of wisdom from Robert :-
"Real freedom is being free to do the things you don't want to do
and still enjoy doing them."
If you click on the image of the artwork here you'll be taken to a brave new world.
If you click on the image of the artwork here you'll be taken to a brave new world.
*****
