Dorrit Black

Dorrit Black

Deborah and I spent a short time in Adelaide recently and one of the main reasons we went there was to see an exhibition of paintings, prints and drawings by Dorrit Black at the Art Gallery of South Australia, and it was fantastic work. She was one of the first Australian artists to embrace Moderism and her main centres of study were Sydney, where she was interested in late Impressionism, and a little later on in Europe where she embraced a more stylised and geometric form of Moderism. She returned to Australia determined to introduce modernism into our culture and was a strong influence on the Sydney art scene where she formed the Modern Art Centre, becoming the first woman in Australia to run an art gallery. She eventually settled in Adelaide where she not only worked on her art but had a number of students as well. There is a superb catalogue of the exhibition published by the Art Gallery of South Australia and researched and written by Tracy Lock-Weir and Elle Freak. Here are a few examples of her work, but it is worth while to explore further to appreciate the art of Dorrit Black. Just google Dorrit Black artist to view more images and HERE to find out more about her biographical details.

Mirmande, 1928, oil on canvas, 71.5 x 85.7 cm

The Bridge, 1930, oil on canvas board, 75 x 96.5 cm

The Olive Plantation, 1946, oil on canvas, 77 x 100.5 cm

The Double Basses, 1950, oil on canvas, 61 x 40.5 cm

Coast Road, 1942, oil on composition board, 45.5 x 55 cm

Music, 1927-28, colour linocut, 24.1 x 21.2 cm

Black Caviar the Mum

Now for an important announcement - Black Caviar gave birth to her first foal, a filly, on September 13th! Isn't this more exciting than any human royal birth? I love the star on her forehead, maybe a prophecy of things to come. If she has her mother's character then she's already a star.

David Suchet at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre

It was my birthday recently and one of my presents was that Deborah took me to see David Suchet at the Comedy Theatre in the play The Last Confession. It was about the political maneuverings amongst the Cardinals and the events leading up to the newly elected and sudden death, after only 33 days in office, of Pope John Paul 1. David Suchet played Cardinal Benelli, a friend of the deceased Pope and was suspicious that he had been murdered by the powerful Cardinals because he was transferring a number of them away from their positions. It had an international cast and the acting by all of them was of a standard that could not be surpassed. I thought it was a masterpiece of theatre. We are both fans of Agatha Christie's Poirot, portrayed brilliantly by David Suchet, and what a thrill it was to see him live on stage.

What a great present and THANKYOU Deb!

Top 2 images - David Suchet in red as Cardinal Benelli

Me outside the Comedy Theatre

Two Recent Works

Lead Out, 2014, oil on wood, 30 x 30cm

Trackwork at Flemington, 2014, 20.5 x 37cm, oil on MDF

Here are two recent paintings I've had framed. It's not long to go until my exhibition at Charles Nodrum Gallery, from 16th Oct - 8th Nov. These are not large paintings as the dimensions confirm and the horses in the second painting are just a few centimetres square. I am always amazed at how tiny Degas' horses are and he rarely worked on a large scale when he made his racing pictures. Sometimes a small image invites you to go right up to it and take pleasure in the detail and perhaps there's a sense of intimacy on a small scale even though the subject matter is a bustling early morning at the track.

Painting Flemington Racecourse

The painting I'm working on here, at Flemington racecourse, has been a work in progress since last August and is nearing completion. So far, it's taken 38 sittings and a number of weeks work in the studio. I had to build a crate to trailer the picture to the track because it was too large to fit in the car. I drilled holes along the face edge and made small pegs to fit them which allowed me to use the crate as an easel too. The length of time taken to make this painting means that all the seasons are in this single image. Flemington racecourse is an amazing sight on a sunny day, a work of art in its own right. It's such a pleasure to paint there.

James Randi

Deborah and I have been going to this year's Melbourne International Film Festival and some of the films we've seen have been excellent documentaries. An Honest Liar was one of the standouts which is based on the escapologist and magician James Randi. It documents segments of his life, both personal and professional, and perhaps what he's most famous for today - exposing people who claim to have psychic powers. He now sees his mission in life to show that no matter how educated and intelligent you are, you can always be fooled.

The James Randi Educational Foundation has offered $1,000,000 to anyone who can demonstrate they have paranormal abilities under test conditions but to date no-one has been awarded the money.

Randi is very much like his idol, Harry Houdini, who was also a magician, an escapologist and an exposer of fake spiritualists. Although Randi is in his eighties, he has a spirit that's both youthful and determined. His much younger partner, an artist, also features in a documentary that is colourful, informative and reveals a number of surprising facts.

Google his name and learn more about the amazing James Randi.

Latest Work

 Ballarat Turf Club, 2013, oil on canvas, 60.5 x 91.5 cm

 Bugle Call, 2014, oil on linen, 51 x 40.5 cm

 Sending Them Away, 2013, oil on canvas, 61.5 x 46 cm

Colours, 2014, oil on MDF, 50.6 x 37 cm

Here are some examples of my latest work. One of the things that interests me is the space of a racetrack. It's almost like the space of the mind because in both instances, images can be conjured by imagining them within a void. In Australia, horse racing has an iconic status, and much has been written about the legends of the turf. From an artistic perspective, horse racing as a subject has had some brilliant practitioners, notably Stubbs, Degas, Lautrec and Munnings. The horse and the rider are always a formal inspiration and the world of horse racing is a great avenue to explore through art. 

At the British Museum

At the British Museum the Prints and Drawings galleries are on the 4th level. The best thing about these rooms is that they offer the visitor a quiet place to view work, which is not the case for much of the Museum. The amount of people and the noise can sometimes be a bit disturbing. 

At the back of the Prints and Drawings gallery is a room, a study area, where you can view the work of any artist you care to name. Deborah took some candid shots of me looking at these Degas drawings, which were stunning. I also browsed through folios of Holbien, Lautrec and Eric Gill. Gill's drawings were a revelation because of their pristine clarity, and his pencil portrait profiles were amazing. 

In the public gallery there were various states of a linocut print by Picasso. From first to final print, the changes from the reduction cutting technique were extraordinary. Trying to work out the next stage in the progression of the work seemed so complicated, but the final print was fabulous. 

Although Picasso didn't cut his lino, the decisions were of course made by him. Personally, I would prefer to do the whole thing myself, but throughout history, most great printmakers had craftsman cut or engrave their images. This means though, that the rhythms of the craftsman are what you see in the end, because it's impossible to trace the rhythms of another artist even in the form of a drawing. It can be close, but not exact. That's why I think a craftsman is sometimes more than the term suggests.

I think the next time I'm at the British Museum, a visit to the study area is a must.

At the Saatchi

Deborah and I finally got to see the Saatchi Gallery, meaning the previous two times I visited London the gallery had been closed. It has shifted from its original location and now occupies the former Duke of York's Headquarters in Kings Road.

The new gallery is not as large as the previous building but there are multiple levels and the ground floor has the most perfect light in which to exhibit art work. This was such a relief after seeing many of London's museums displaying work in such poor light. But athough this is a conservation concern, it also defeats the purpose of looking at art and appreciating subtleties of tone and colour.

The exhibition we saw was titled Pangaea: New Art from Africa and Latin America. The top picture shows Deborah standing in the first room where the work of Rafael Gomezbarros was on display. It felt like being in Gulliver's Travels but the ants are made in the shape of human skulls which adds another dimension to the reading of the sculptures. In the bottom picture I'm looking at a painting by Ivory Coast artist Aboudia Djoly du Mogba which is the artist's response to the election violence in the city of Abidjan where armies of children terrorised that city.

The exhibition was a mixture of paintings, sculpture and photographs and more information can be found on the Saatchi website HERE

Watt's Chapel

One of the highlights of our recent UK trip was a visit to the Watt's Chapel in the village of Compton in Surrey. It was designed by Mary Fraser-Tytler and she, along with other community members, formed the Compton Potter's Arts Guild and were inspired to build this chapel just near the cemetery. It was a very village affair, with over 70 people working on the construction, but under the close guidance of Mary. It took 2 years to build and was completed in 1898. George Frederick Watts, who was Mary's husband, not only funded the project but created a painting for the altar, titled The All-Pervading. As the photographs show, the influence of art nouveau, Celtic art and Mary's original imagination created a memorial that is truly outstanding.

It was a very grey day when we visited the chapel and the light was poor inside, but even so, it was clear to see what the people of Compton, and in particular, Mary Fraser Tytler achieved. Visit HERE to learn more about the amazing Watt's Chapel.

Agatha in London

When Deborah and I were walking around London, we came across this sculpture by Ben Twiston-Davies on Cranbourn Street in the West End. It contains not only Agatha Christie's portrait, but  characters and scenes from some of her books. Since Deborah and I are fans of the Poirot series, starring David Suchet, it was a nice surprise to suddenly come across this homage to one of the most famous of writers. The unveiling took place in 2012, marking the 60th Anniversary of The Mousetrap, a play based on her book of the same name. It's the longest running play ever. Since the West End is known for its theatres, having the sculpture where the play is performed is so fitting. 

The Great Anton Walbrook

From the Red Shoes (1948)

From The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)

One of our favourite actors is the great Anton Walbrook. Everytime Deborah and I visit London we visit his grave at St. John's Church in Hampstead and make sure it's in good condition. 

Born in Vienna, he had a stage and film career in Austria and Germany but he eventually settled in the UK where he made perhaps his most famous films. He came from a family of actors spanning 10 generations, but his father took this tradition in another direction when he became a circus clown. 

Walbrook was a very emotional actor, but an emotion held in check giving the impression he could erupt at any minute. This created an inner tension in his performances that is always fascinating to watch.

Some of his best films are - 

Gaslight (1940)

49th Parallel (1941)

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)

The Red Shoes (1948)

The Queen of Spades (1949)

La Ronde (1950)

Hockney at Dulwich Picture Gallery

One of the highlights of our UK trip was a visit to the Dulwich Picture Gallery where there was an exhibition of David Hockney's prints, celebrating sixty years of his printmaking practice. One of the most experimental and adventurous artists of our time, this exhibition was a treat, mainly because it's always inspiring to see work that has a strong drawing component. Etchings, lithographs, combinations of mediums and works composed and printed through a computer showed just how adventurous he is. The human figure was prominent throughout but there was also a series based on different weather conditions, confirming that Hockney could tackle various subject matter. Some of the prints were a little garish in colour, and his more subdued images appealed to me, but there were so many gems in this show you wished everyone could see them.

The Dulwich Picture Gallery has a great collection, more quality than quantity. Check it out HERE

More of David Hockney's work can be viewed HERE also.

Deborah Klein took the photographs of our day at Dulwich.

A Recent Time in the UK

Lee Miller and Roland Penrose

Deborah Klein and I recently returned from a trip to the UK. One of the most inspiring days spent there was a trip to Farley Farm House, courtesy of Barbara Britton and Sue Verney. This was the house and property that was home to Surrealist artist Roland Penrose and his wife, photographer, Lee Miller. Many famous artists visited the property over the years, notably, Picasso, Max Ernst and Man Ray, to name a few.

A guided tour is the only way you can see inside the house, and what a fabulous house it is. Pretty much how it was when they lived there, the walls are covered with art, mainly by Roland, but artworks from the many artists who stayed for a time can also be seen throughout. The fire place is a remarkable art work too, decorated by Roland with great colours and nooks and crannies which provide spaces for ceramic pots and figures.

The grounds, as I think you would agree from the photos below, look magnificent under the sunny sky. The whole place had such a good feeling to it, but an extra treat was talking to Antony Penrose, son of Roland and Lee. He lives down the road to the property but his presence is of course always at Farley Farm House. He saw a great deal of Picasso when he was a child and he told us an amusing story. Resuming school after the holidays there was a show and tell. He mentioned that the family went to Cannes and when asked what he did there he told the class he went to see Picasso! The teacher was understandably gob smacked but as Antony told us, he presumed everyone did!

Since no photography is allowed in the house, it might be a good idea to click on the link to find out more information about it. HERE 

You might also like to check the websites of Lee Miller and Roland Penrose

View of Farley Farm House

View of Farley Farm House

Inspecting the garden

A sculpture in the grounds

A sculpture in the grounds

Deborah Klein at Farley Farm

Barbara Britton, me and Sue Verney standing alongside one of Antony Penrose's sculptures

Print and Drawing Acquisitive Awards 2014

Deborah Klein Cutting Lino, 2013, dry pastel, 31 x 41 cm

My partner, Deborah Klein, made a wonderful print called Corporeal-Ethereal, and my drawing is of her in the process of cutting the lino that eventuated in the linocut print.

We have all heard it said that the eyes are a window to the soul, but I think hands reflect the soul too. Hands are the soul in action which is clearly visible in master musicians, dancers, horsemen, and snooker players, just to take some examples. Within the hands is not only beauty but thought. 

My drawing will be in the Print & Drawing Acquisitive Awards 2014 at the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery from May 17 until July 13. Look them up at www.swanhill.vic.gov.au/gallery

Here is Deborah's finished print.

Corporeal-Ethereal, 2012, linocut, 60 x 50 cm, ed 23