Talking With Painters

Few other artists have captured Australia's imagination quite like Ian Fairweather. This is the second part of a double episode on this 20th century artist. In the last episode I interviewed Claire Roberts, co -editor of the book 'Ian Fairweather A Life in Letters' and we talked about the events of Fairweather’s life from his early childhood.  In this episode I talk with Ann Thomson, one of Australia's leading contemporary artists who I have previously interviewed on this podcast. Ann met Fairweather on several occasions with her then husband, photographer Robert Walker. They visited him on Queensland's Bribie Island where he lived for the last 20 years of his life before he died in 1974.  He’s considered one of Australia’s most important artists. Although he was often described as an outsider or a recluse - he lived on Bribie Island in self-made huts apart from the rest of the community - he was actually quite sociable through his letters and welcomed friends who came to visit. He famously saile

Learning about someone through their letters is a fascinating exercise and this is precisely what Claire Roberts set out to do when she amassed over 700 letters of the celebrated 20th century artist Ian Fairweather. Together with cultural historian John Thompson, Roberts has produced a brilliant book 'Ian Fairweather A Life in Letters' which not only gives us an insight into Fairweather's life in his own words but provides context by setting periods of letters in chapters with their own introduction. The book is published by Text Publishing. Claire Roberts is an art historian, curator and Associate Professor of Art at the University of Melbourne, specialising in modern and contemporary Chinese art and the cultural flows between Australia and Asia. It was the author Murray Bail who suggested she write this book.  He had written a monograph on Fairweather and had already located many letters but while that monograph focussed on Fairweather's art, this book looks more at the man himself.  354 letters a

Stepping into David Griggs' Sydney studio in the lead up to his show at Roslyn Oxley9 gallery was a sensory experience. The scale of his paintings is large and the colour is bold. The word 'psychedelic' has been used more than once in describing his work and it certainly applies to his show about to hit the Sydney art scene. It’s fabulously called Mankini Island. David’s a painter, sculptor and filmmaker, has exhibited in over 25 solo shows and has been hung in the prestigious Archibald Prize eight times.  A large part of who he is as an artist stems from his time in the Philippines where he lived for over 10 years. Many of the works he produced there were included in the powerful survey exhibition ‘Between Nature and Sin’ which travelled across Australia over about two years. Through his Archibald portraits he’s been open about his experiences with depression and in this episode he shares his views on how he manages and overcomes it. Mankini Island opens at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery on Friday,

Driving to Philip Wolfhagen's home outside Launceston, Tasmania, was a dreamlike experience. Unlike the dry landscape of drought-affected NSW (we recorded before the onset of the bushfire crisis), there were green farmlands rolling down to a plain with hills in the distance. If it had been dusk I would have felt I was driving through a Wolfhagen painting because capturing the landscape surrounding his property is a large part of Philip's practice. In particular he beautifully captures that moment of twilight, often with a hint of melancholy, through his expert use of colour and superb application of paint.  However, there is more to Philip Wolfhagen than painting. His interests span from music to gardening and building and these other pursuits feed into his work. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation where we talked about those subjects as well as many others, especially his use of colour. He is one of Australia's most acclaimed and respected contemporary landscape artists. He has exhibited in over

Looking back at the artists of 2019! Listen to this podcast episode for highlights of my conversations with the amazing Australian painters listed below. Click on the artist's name to hear the full interview - and most have a video on their page too! Luke Sciberras Nicholas Harding Kiata Mason Del Kathryn Barton Blak Douglas Neil Frazer Tony Costa Nicole Kelly Tim Storrier Susan Baird Tom Carment Kathrin Longhurst Ben Quilty

This is not the first time curator Lisa Slade has brought the paintings of Ben Quilty to viewers in Australia, but of those previous exhibitions none has had the depth and breadth of the survey show ‘Quilty’ which has arrived at the Art Gallery of NSW. Distilling fifteen years of creative energy, Slade has brought together an exhibition which not only presents these works to the viewer in a compelling way, but evokes curiosity and creates meaning. The exhibition originated in the Art Gallery of South Australia and travelled to Queensland Art gallery before ending with a Sydney showing. As the Assistant Director, Artistic Programs of the Art Gallery of South Australia, Lisa Slade has also curated exhibitions of many other artists. She has known Ben Quilty for over 20 years forming a strong friendship over that time. This interview therefore not only covers how the show came together and what a curator does but you'll hear about Ben Quilty's life and work from the perspective of someone who know

If you are interested in the arts in Australia you will know of Ben Quilty. He is one of the country's most acclaimed contemporary artists. In the last 15 years he has shot to prominence not just as an artist - although he’s won the Archibald Prize, Doug Moran National Portrait Prize and the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship - but as an observer and commentator on social and political issues which concern us all. Whether it's issues faced by our indigenous communities, our involvement in wars on foreign soil, and their consequences, or the cruelty of the death penalty imposed on Myuran Sukamaran and on Andrew Chan and Quilty's campaign to save their lives, he pours maximum energy in highlighting the inequities and injustices in our world through his actions, words and art. His belief that art can instigate positive change is inspiring. The excellent survey show 'Quilty' has just landed in Sydney – via Adelaide and Brisbane – and the Art Gallery of NSW is the perfect venue for it given Quilty

During the Cold War, the Soviet Bloc and the West were separated in various ways but probably none so dramatically as the Berlin Wall. Erected in 1961, it separated East and West Germans for 28 years.   Kathrin Longhurst was born on the eastern side of that wall and experienced, first-hand, what life was like behind the Iron Curtain. It was a life that would influence the direction of her work as an artist many years later.   A figurative painter and a feminist, her work often parodies the Communist propaganda art which she would see in the streets in East Berlin - but instead of images of triumphant soldiers and workers, she would depict strong, defiant women using military imagery and female sexuality to brilliant effect.  She also paints larger-than-life head and shoulder paintings - from the intense portrayals of children going through tough times in her Forging of a Human Spirit series to her current incredible work focussing on female refugees which were lining the walls of her studio when I me

Tom Carment has been painting and writing for over 45 years but it was in his mid twenties that he decided his work would be created solely from life. Changing light and weather conditions, sitter fatigue and repeated packing of materials became daily concerns. His work crosses landscape, portraiture and still life and if you visited the Art Gallery of NSW in 2019 for the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes you may have noticed that there was a Carment work shortlisted in every prize – a rare accomplishment for any artist. The winner of numerous art prizes including the Gallipoli, Mosman and NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize, Tom has been shortlisted in the Archibald 11 times and hung in the Salon des Refusés over 20 times. He has had over 25 solo shows and his work is held in public and private institutions in Australia and overseas. He’s also an acclaimed writer and his most recent book – ‘Womerah Lane: Lives and Landscapes’ - is a memorable collection of stories over the time he has lived in

As a child, it never occurred to Susan Baird that she might one day be a painter. She left school at 16 and, after a year of study, found a job working for a graphic designer who also enjoyed painting. It was through seeing him paint that the course of her life shifted entirely. By the age of 18 she'd exhibited in her first solo show in Sydney's premier art district. She went on to study in New York and Sydney and has been painting for over 35 years. She has exhibited in over a dozen solo shows, many more group shows and has been shortlisted in art prizes on over 20 occasions. Primarily working in landscape en plein air, Baird's works reflect the beauty peculiar to this country with colour used expertly through years of experience – using brushes, palette knives and even squeegees to transport us into the dreamlike world she portrays. Her solo show ‘All Around Me’, which opens at Flinders Lane Gallery in Melbourne on 15 October 2019, centres around a place she’s been visiting for over 10 years

Tim Storrier's work sweeps you into his imagination: burning ropes in the desert, clothes wrapped around a torso-shaped void, mood-filled skies with clouds that go on forever. One of Australia's premier artists, his paintings often take the form of a memento mori - a reminder of our mortality - with detritus strewn across the landscape to remind us of what is left after life has moved on. He has been painting for over 50 years and in 1968 was the youngest artist ever to win the Sulman prize at 19 years of age. He has since won the Sulman a second time and has been awarded the Archibald Prize, the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize and Archibald Packing Room Prize. His work is held in most Australian national and state art institutions and in private collections across the world. He has exhibited in dozens of solo shows including a stunning survey show in 2011 at S.H.Ervin Gallery, was a trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW for most of the 90s and has been awarded a member of the Order of Australia for

Nicole Kelly is one of Australia’s most interesting emerging artists. Her landscapes and portraits are filled with reminiscence and emotion. She’s had 10 solo shows, has won the coveted Brett Whiteley travelling art scholarship, Hurford Hardwood portrait prize, as well as other prizes, and has been finalist in many others. I spoke with her in her studio in Sydney where she was creating work for her November show with Arthouse Gallery in Sydney. We also filmed some video on that day which will be uploaded to the website soon. Nicole grew up in the Sutherland Shire in southern Sydney and now lives in Thirroul, south of Sydney.  She didn’t paint or draw much as a child and in fact was more interested in photography in high school and particularly the work of Bill Henson. After school, encouraged by photographer and academic Ella Dreyfus, she decided to apply for the National Art School. Press play beneath the feature photo above to hear us talk about her time at National Art School, in Paris and

Here's your guide to the paintings of the 13 podcast guests whose works were shortlisted in the 2019 Archibald prize. Go to episodes 72 and 73 for the Wynne and Sulman guides! Click here for an overview of how to use this guide Click here for images of the Archibald Prize finalists Click here to see the gallery map below if you are looking at this on your podcast app. Feature Photo: 'Lindy Lee', (detail), oil on canvas, 182.5 x 152cm, Tony Costa, winner of Archibald prize 2019 Click on the artist's name below to go to their podcast episode and see the video. The time marking shows where the artist's work is mentioned in the episode and the number in brackets is the number of the work in the AGNSW. 1:25___ Jude Rae (41) 3:35___ Jonathan Dalton (14) 6:40___Prudence Flint (22) 9:38___Tony Costa (winner) (13) 13:05___Blak Douglas (18) 15:50___Paul Ryan (43) 18:13___Marc Etherington (20) 21.11___Loribelle Spirovski (44) 23:35___Laura Jones (27) 2

Here's your guide to the paintings of the seven podcast guests whose works were shortlisted in the 2019 Wynne prize. Go to episodes 72 and 74 for the Sulman and Archibald guides! Click the play button underneath the photo to hear the podcast episode and scroll down for video of the Wynne winner Sylvia Ken. Click here for an overview of how to use this guide Click here for images of the paintings in the Wynne prize Click here to see the Gallery Map if you are looking at this on your podcast app. https://youtu.be/n7FwTgsPOCY Artist Sylvia Ken talks with Maria Stoljar Gallery map of the AGNSW - Archibald, Wynne Sulman prizes exhibition Click on the artist's name below to go to their podcast episode and see the video The time marking shows where the artist's work is mentioned on the podcast and the number following the name is the number of the work in the AGNSW. 0:55___Marc Etherington (61) 3:08___Ken Done (63) 4:34___ Blak Douglas and Elaine Russell (62) 7:38____Natasha Bie

Here's your guide to the paintings of the six podcast guests whose works were shortlisted in the 2019 Sir John Sulman prize. Go to episodes 73 and 74 for the Wynne and Archibald guides! Click here for an overview of how to use this guide Click here to see the Sir John Sulman finalist paintings. Feature photo: 'The first girl that knocked on his door' (detail) oil on canvas, 153 x 122.5cm, McLean Edwards, winner of the Sir John Sulman prize, 2019. Click on the artist's name below to hear their podcast interview and see the podcast video. The time marking shows where the artist's work is mentioned on the podcast and the number following the name is the number of the work in the AGNSW. 1:12___John Bokor (84) 3:37___Paul Ryan (104) 6:10___Ken Done (87) 8:00___McLean Edwards (winner) (88) 10:38__Alan Jones (91) 13:19__Abdul Abdullah (81)

This year twenty podcast guests were selected as finalists in the Archibald, Wynne, and Sulman prizes, which are exhibited every year at the Art Gallery of NSW, with a total of 26 paintings between them. In the next three episodes I'm going to talk to you about those works. Scroll down to see some tips on how to listen to these episodes. How to use episodes 72-74: As an audio guide at the Art Gallery of NSW (until 8 September 2019) or any gallery the exhibition travels to. scroll down for a map of the gallery rooms and list of finalists. (or click here if you're looking at this on your podcast app) There is a time marking for each painting so you can skip forward or back.To hear the complete podcast interview and view video of the artist click on the artist's name in the list below.Tips - download the podcast episodes onto your phone before you go (in case the wi-fi's not great) and take a screenshot of the map! Listen while you look at the paintings online on the gallery's websiteclick here for the

Tony Costa says winning the Archibald makes the invisible artist visible but you wouldn’t have called him invisible before he won the prize this year.  He’s been painting for over 50 years, and in addition to the Archibald has won several other awards including the Paddington Art Prize for landscape painting and has been shortlisted in others including another three times in the Archibald, in the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, the Wynne Prize, the Sulman Prize, the Kilgour Prize, and the list goes on. Costa paints in an expressionist style. His whole practice is about trapping energy and a large part of his method is guided by an eastern philosophy - seeking to enter into the world of nothingness and distancing himself from any thought process. This process is applied whether it's a landscape or a portrait. His methods are neither traditional nor predictable and I found our conversation incredibly interesting and eye opening with a good dose of humour thrown in. This podcast interview was re

Neil Frazer is a landscape painter but don't expect pictures of rolling hills or calming seascapes. His powerful work depicts the harsh and dangerous environments in our world, where the sea smashes against jagged rocks and freezing glaciers slide past uninhabitable snowy peaks.  It’s the physicality and energy of these places that he’s aiming to convey and he does so spectacularly. He combines an impasto technique with layering and glazing to produce a complex visual experience and his compositions often involve intriguing negative spaces which contribute to the drama and mystery of his work. He has exhibited in dozens of solo shows in Australia and New Zealand and his latest solo show, Liquid Light, opens at Martin Browne Contemporary in Sydney on 30 May 2019. Although he grew up in New Zealand, he has spent half his life in Australia where he completed his Masters degree after previous postgraduate study in New York. In this episode you'll hear about how and why his work moved from abst

Blak Douglas is well known for his brightly coloured landscapes with their trademark seven-tiered sky but he’s also an accomplished portraitist. At the time of writing, his work hangs in the Art Gallery of NSW in both the Archibald and Wynne prizes which are arguably the most famous portrait and landscape awards in Australia. His paintings always have something to say about social justice, often with irony and humour playing an important part and with his Aboriginal identity central to his work.  He’s won several awards and has been finalist in many others including three times in the Archibald prize and his work is held in various public collections including the National Gallery of Australia. His grandmother, Clorine Morthem,  was one of the stolen generation, taken at 13 years of age and institutionalised in Cootamundra Girls home, something that has had repercussions down the generations.  His father’s ancestors are the Dunghutti people from northern NSW and his mother was from an Irish

Del Kathryn Barton is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in Australian art today. Her work is hotly sought after internationally and, in Australia, she is probably best known for the rare achievement of having won the Archibald prize twice - no mean feat in a race where women have only won the award 12 times in close to 100 years. Her paintings are instantly recognizable. Figures with drawn hands and faces look out of the picture with mesmerising eyes, existing in an imaginary world. That world is filled with colour and exquisite detail. Barton has exhibited in over 20 solo shows including a 4-month major survey of her work at the National Gallery of Victoria last year and her work is held in many public institutions and private collections. However,  painting forms only part of her life’s work and, although we also talked about her film-making, we didn't touch on her photo montages, sculptures and installations and her current New York show 'sing blood-wings sing'  which includes a 10m long work in 5 pa