A residency at Geelong Grammar School

I recently completed a 2-week residency at Geelong Grammar School in Corio. It was a fantastic experience so much so that you  leave a part of yourself there! All the artists-in-residence stay in the same apartment Ludwig Herschfeld-Mack lived in and it certainly adds something special to have that connection. Great to see how talented the art mentors are too as this means the students are in good hands. Special thanks to Peter Bajer, Head of Visual Arts, for inviting me to do this residency and he is certainly continuing the breadth and rigour of Hirschfeld-Mack's teaching legacy.

Following are some pics with the students who asked many great questions, the studio space where I was a working, some of my paintings on display, going back 40 years to the present and views of the apartment inside and from the windows.

 

Daniel Nistico in Concert at Charles Nodrum Gallery

 I've been studying composition for classical guitar with Daniel Nistico, Daniel Nistico for about 2 years. In one of our lessons, Daniel mentioned that it would be good to play some of my compositions in an environment where some of my paintings were hanging. I mentioned that I have an exhibition on at Charles Nodrum Gallery in Richmond, so he enthusiastically suggested he play there. At the last hour of my show, Daniel gave an intimate performance of all 9 of my compositions. What a way to end an exhibition and what a privilege to have such a fantastic guitarist play any composers music.

Below are some pics by Deborah Klein of the recital.

The compositions were as follows - 

The Little Waltz

Waltz #2

Maillardet's Automaton Comes to Life

Autumn Fades

Farewell

Remembering the Celts

The Four Seasons

Deborah's Pictures

Explaining what Maillardet's Automaton is with a painting I did of it.

It was a small audience which was perfect for the space and the occasion.

Introducing the music

Rick Amor Self Portrait Prize

The Rick Amor Self Portrait Prize is held every two years at Montsalvat Arts Centre in Eltham.  

For this year's entry I initially had the idea of painting a self portrait out-of-doors but there is often too much glare in the open air, so I thought the next best thing was to paint myself in the studio with my landscape paintings behind me.

The human face is a difficult thing to paint and it's especially difficult to stop and decide that that's the finish of the portrait. I often get to the stage where the portrait can be improved but it's a case of I can't improve it.

Self Portrait with Pictures, 2022, oil on linen, 

Airs & Modes, my exhibition at Charles Nodrum Gallery

Relocating permanently to Ballarat from Melbourne has given me the opportunity to paint the landscape as distance is no longer an impediment. This is a new direction in my work because although I’ve touched on the landscape from time to time, it has never developed into a substantial interest until recently. 

But the word landscape can be deceptive because it’s not always about the land. The title of this exhibition is AIRS and MODES, which deliberately suggests nature is something nearer to light, air and mood rather than a geographical location.

 

Many of the paintings were done en plein air while others were invented in the studio. The pictures painted outdoors took around 10 sittings each with minimum touches in the studio, and although they often do not resemble the places where I stood, the initial idea for a painting remains vivid whenever I return to the same spot. Every aspect of nature like fire, rain, lightning, wind, or clouds do not stand still for the artist to paint them, so there needs to be a lot more invention than there seems to be.

 

Spacescape seems a more appropriate word to apply to landscape painting as the presence of hills, trees, clouds and skies is more dependent on light and air which acts like a stage for the elements to play their part.

 

Montsalvat Exhibition

Last Sunday was the official opening to my drawing exhibition titled THE ARTS IN PROFILE. It is now hanging in THE LONG ROOM at Montsalvat, a magnificent Arts Centre located at Eltham, until 12 June. The project was inspired by the profile portraits of Tom Roberts, one of Australia's most important artists, and spanned a six year period. My aim was to invite people who have something to do with the Arts to sit for a profile portrait drawing - from visual artists, framers, collectors, curators, musicians, writers, art shop workers etc because the art world exists through the efforts of many different professions.

I chose drawing mediums because a portrait painting demands so many sittings whereas a drawing can be done mostly in one sitting and on occasions, two sittings if the hands are included. Having said that, right at the end of the project I decided to add a few paintings which I thought enhanced the overall look of the exhibition. I intended to have more portraits but Covid essentially ended the project and too much time had elapsed to keep it going. Instead I applied to a number of venues to exhibit the work and Montsalvat agreed to host the exhibition.

Here are some pics of the opening.

Outside THE LONG ROOM

THE LONG ROOM 

                                            The arrival of some of the sitters 

Portraist of Kate Nodrum, and Deborah and I

From left - Tim Gresham, Simon Storey, Michael Nichols, Graeme Drendel and 

a self portrait

From left - Rachel Derum, Godwin Bradbeer, Priscilla Ambrosini

From left to right - Self portrait, Luke Ingram, Marguerite Brown

Unknown models painted from life drawings

From left - Rosa, Aaron McLoughlin, Rona Green, Priscilla Ambrosini, Deborah Klein, 

Shane Jones, Jasmine Mahon (front), Paul Compton, Gaye Britt, Tim Gresham and James Harrison

Moonlight on Water

I was thrilled that Daniel Nistico played my recent guitar composition called Moonlight on Water. Daniel included this piece in a livestream concert with his other classical guitar students. You never really know what a composition will sound like until a great player performs it, and I'm fortunate indeed to have Daniel play my pieces. I was doubly pleased when Daniel chose one of my moonlight paintings as a background to the concert.

If you have the time, you can listen in at Moonlight on Water youtube. It goes for about an hour and twenty minutes and my composition opens the concert. Enjoy!

A Summer Wind

A Summer Wind, 2022, oil on linen, 65.25 x 65.25 cm

As the title suggests, my aim was to capture a feeling that the wind was stirring the air and the landscape. There were four trees but I felt three was enough for the composition and they were the last thing I painted. This painting took about 8 sittings which is relatively short for me. I put a few additional brushstrokes in the studio but I never want to do too much in the studio as it defeats the purpose of painting on the spot.

The Big Kitty at Ballarat

As the poster says, THE BIG KITTY made its Ballarat premiere at Cinema Eureka recently. The cinema is a 16-seater and is in a private house run by Bryan Putt and Megan Finlayson. They have regular screenings so it was doubly special to have Tom Alberts and Lisa Barmby bring the film  to Ballarat. Tom and Lisa made THE BIG KITTY over a 12 year period and they star in it as well,

Check out the poster more carefully as it lists all the awards it has won internationally.

Tom and Lisa checking out the hilarious sign 

Tom and Lisa standing next to a poster Bryan had

 printed especially for the occasion.

Deborah Klein, Shane Jones and Tom and Lisa

 

Talking to Bryan 

From left - Christine Hickson, Gaye Britt, Lily-Mae Martin, Tim Gresham. 

Background, Tim Jones and Bryan Putt.

Tom and Lisa giving a fascinating Q&A after the screening.

Pictured at top of poster - Lewis Miller as the DA. Deborah Klein as Madame F

 and Gavin Brown as a passionate artist

Megan Finlayson serving refreshments. Bryan and Megan are such generous hosts as 

they always provide drinks, snacks and supper after a screening.

Blue Twilight

 

Blue Twilight, 2022, oil on canvas, 40.5 x 50.75 cm

Lake Wendouree, in Ballarat, has always been an amazing sight for the eye. The ever-changing colours and light are a constant source of inspiration. This painting was done from the car and at around the time the sun has only an hour or two to the close of day. Sometimes the sheen on the surface of the lake looks like a mirror rather than water! This was a bit more difficult tp paint for some reason, but I persisted with it as there were a few passages I liked and I didn't want to throw that away. I'm glad I did keep going as it's now one of my favourite pieces.

THE BIG KITTY, Melbourne Premiere

On April 7th, the premiere of THE BIG KITTY made it to the Classic cinema at Elsternwick. It took Tom Alberts and Lisa Barmby 12 years to make. Though it should be noted that Tom and Lisa are visual artists and were occupied with other projects during that time. As has been mentioned before in other posts, all the actors in the film are friends of Tom and Lisa, and most of them are Melbourne artists. 

THE BIG KITTY premiered at Cannes but none of the Australian cast and crew were present because of COVID travel restrictions so it was a special Melbourne premiere when we all got to see it presented at a major cinema. 

Afterwards there was a celebration at The Antique Bar just down the road from the cinema, which also nearly coincided with Tom's 60th birthday, several days before. The Jasmine Mahon trio sang two sets of songs from the 40s, which added some vocal class to the evening. Jasmine also performed in the film in an acting roll and a singing roll, and she wrote the lyrics to the song she sang in the film.

Photo credits - Deborah Klein

Cast and Crew photo credit - Mick Murray

THE BIG KITTY at the Classic cinema, Elsternwick

Tom Alberts and Lisa Barmby after the premiere

Steve Cox, Deborah Klein, Shane Jones and Terry Matassoni (rear), 

 artists who played a roll in the film.

Lewis Miller, Lisa Barmby and Tom Alberts

in a Q&A discussion after the film

The Jasmine Mahon Trio performing at the after party at 

The Antique Bar, Elsternwick - Ken Rogers,

Nikki Scarlett and Jasmine Mahon

The cast and crew

 

Nearing Twilight

                                    Nearing Twilight, 2022, oil on panel, 39 x 35.75 cm

This painting was mostly invented with a bit of memory thrown in. It was inspired by the setting sun over Lake Wendouree. I drove to the Lake  and put a few brushstrokes on the panel then finished the rest of it in the studio. Occasionally I went back to the lake at sunset to refresh my memory. It took many months to complete, but not many months of continuous work. I always seem to need lots of time to finish a painting as I give much thought to it and thoughts seem to take their time to settle.

Moonlight and Fire

 Moonlight and Fire, 2021, oil on linen, 112 x 76.5 cm

This painting sat in storage for over two years. The only thing I had done to it was the moon and some clouds at the top of the painting. When I had a look at it after the two years has passed I wanted to continue working on it. I had intended to add more clouds all over the painting but I decided against it though I couldn't think of what to do to instead. Eventually I had the idea of adding fire and smoke which retained something of my first idea as smoke and clouds are similar as images. 

Moonlight and Rain

Moonlight and Rain, 2021, oil on canvas, 40.5 x 30.5cm

A variation on two of my themes, moonlight and rain, come together in this painting. It's a completely made up studio picture and although not intentional, it does have a Japanese feel about it. I've always loved the Japanese Ukiyo-e artists and their interpretation of nature's modes. The work of other artists can stay with you, always, and can influence one's work years down the track.