Talking With Painters

Through her art, Kiata Mason takes us into her world and her way of seeing. Her still lifes are filled with the objects from her home, collected over generations, and portraits contain reminders of the past. She plays with colour and perspective to convey her subjects not quite the way they exist in reality but with an ever present optimism and empathy mixed with a bit of kookiness. She has a Masters degree in drawing from the National Art School and this forms the foundations of her painting. Last year she won the Muswellbrook Art prize for works on paper and she’s also been a finalist and semi-finalist in many major painting prizes including the Sulman, Doug Moran, Black Swan and Paddington art prizes. She has exhibited in five solo shows and has another two coming up this year but still sees herself in the early stages of her career as a painter. Her work crosses still life, portraiture and landscape. I recorded this episode in Kiata's studio in the back room of her home in Lake Cathie just south of Port

Nicholas Harding is one of Australia's most celebrated artists. He has been awarded the Archibald prize, the Archibald People's Choice award, the Kilgour prize and the Dobell drawing prize amongst others. His work crosses portraiture, landscape and still life. Harding's oil paintings are created with a glorious impasto technique, he uses gouache to capture the lifesize portraits of many a famous sitter and he is renowned for his magnificent ink drawings. He has had over 30 (often sell-out) solo shows, major survey shows of his work have been held at the S H Ervin Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery and his work is in the collections of many public institutions including the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery, and in private and corporate collections around the world. One of the major impacts on his work was coming to Australia after spending the first 8 years of his life in England and, in particular, his observation of the different light

If you've ever met Luke Sciberras you’ll know he’s larger than life. Full of joie de vivre and good humour, he attacks life with gusto from his fabulous garden to his renowned cooking skills so it’s no surprise that this life force is also manifested through his art. He's known chiefly for his landscape paintings which are created with layers of glorious colour and a variety of marks. His drawings and plein air works have an immediacy which take us into his experience - whether it's a boab tree a bird or a portrait. His art is always interpreted from life or from drawings made en plein air and brought back into the studio. But paradoxically what is most important to him as a landscape painter is in fact people. Those who are the custodians or owners of the landscape are just as important to him as the landscape itself and he needs to connect with them in order to create his work. He’s painted landscapes around the world from Europe to China but it’s in Australia that he’s spent most of his painting life – i

In episode 62 I spoke with senior curator Denise Mimmocchi about the late abstract expressionist artist Tony Tuckson and the exhibition ' Tuckson:the abstract sublime ' which is currently showing at the Art Gallery of NSW. The exhibition continues until 17 February 2019. In this episode I look at a few of the paintings themselves with artist Aida Tomescu.  I spoke with Aida about her own life and art in episode 33 where you can hear a great story of her arrival in Australia from communist Romania and her rise to becoming one of our most respected painters. She has won many awards including the Wynne prize, the Sulman prize and the Dobell prize and has exhibited in over 30 solo shows. We talk about the paintings, paint, what the paint’s doing, guessing the intention of the artist and ponder on what effect it’s having on the viewer. You don’t have to see the exhibition to appreciate these episodes but if you get a chance to go why not listen to it as you’re walking around? You’ll see I’ve marked at the top of

Denise Mimmocchi, senior curator of Australian art at the Art Gallery of NSW, has brought together a magnificent exhibition of the abstract works of the late Tony Tuckson: 'Tuckson: the abstract sublime' showing at the Art Gallery of NSW until 17 February 2019. Tony Tuckson, who died about 45 years ago, is considered by many to be one of Australia’s most significant abstract expressionist artists but he kept his art under wraps for most of his painting life. In this episode I spoke with the Art Gallery of NSW’s senior curator of Australian art (and mastermind of this show) Denise Mimmocchi and we talk about his life and career. You can then follow on in episode 63 and listen to my conversation with renowned Australian abstract artist Aida Tomescu where we talk about a few of the works in depth. If you happen to be in Sydney before the show ends and get a chance to get there you could listen while you look. You’ll see in the notes to episode 63 that I’ve marked the point where we speak about each work so yo

From the age of 2, when she sailed with her parents from Australia to Canada, Michaye Boulter's life has never been far from the sea. Spending weeks at a time in her childhood sailing  on the ocean spending time staring out at that vastness, Michaye’s very being is connected with the water. So it’s no surprise that she paints what she knows. In her recent show, ‘Shelter’, at Sydney’s Arthouse Gallery, her works of Tasmanian seascapes were breathtaking. They depict the Australian coastlines and ocean often with no sign of human life when the sun is not out in full force, creating a low light which darkens the land making the sky and the water the main players in her work. We talk about her childhood memories but also about her current work and studio practice. Notably she's been a finalist in the prestigious Glover landscape prize 7 times as well as many others. She's had 20 solo shows and her work is also held in various public and private collections around Australia, including the Tasmanian Museum and Art G

Press 'play' above to hear the podcast episode and click here or scroll down for YouTube video! Over the last six years Justin Williams has not only been exhibiting all over Australia but in Europe and the US, with his work hanging in galleries in New York, L.A, Paris, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Athens and London. Williams depicts the world outside the mainstream, usually set in nature or a seemingly imaginary or folkloric world.  He's interested in the characters who represent the archetypal outsider such as Baba Desi, the wizard living in the Dandenongs and 'The Family' cult leader Anne Hamilton-Byrne. He feels, though, that not all outsiders live on the fringes of society and that it could include all of us to some extent. From working on fishing trawlers to single handedly building his own cabin in the forest, Williams does not seek out the safety of the comfortable life and it's only been relatively recently that he has found a stability of sorts in comparison to his earlier, less predictable, life. His cu

Melinda Harper is one of Australia's leading abstract artists. Her works, filled with geometric forms and often with an explosion of colour, have been fascinating art lovers for over 30 years. Whether its hundreds of rectangles crammed onto the canvas or wavy forms filled with psychedelic stripes, your eye is going to be subjected to a feast of colour and form. In this episode we talk about, amongst other things, colour, why she paints in oils when acrylics would appear to be the obvious choice, and how, when she was at art school, her approach was not at all in fashion. Harper has been exhibiting for over 30 years and has had over 25 solo shows. In 2015, one of Australia's leading art institutions, Heide Museum of Modern Art, held a major survey of her work called 'Colour Sensation: The Works of Melinda Harper'. Her work is contained in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Art Gallery of NSW and other public and private collections. I caught up with

Natasha Walsh is one of Australia’s most exciting emerging artists. A few months ago, over a period of about 12 weeks, she won three prestigious art awards; the Kilgour Prize, the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship and the Mosman Art Prize. She’s also been a finalist in the Archibald Prize for the last 3 years in a row with stunning self portraits. And she’s only 24. But the road to this success has not been smooth. Experiencing dyslexia as a child, she struggled both academically and socially in her early years and had to learn strategies to fit in. There’s also been an intermittent struggle with depression and she speaks openly about those experiences and how they have impacted her fascinating self portraits. Painting on canvas has never really interested her. She’s  more interested in transforming materials into ideas. Those materials have ranged from wax and copper to marble. Walsh displays wisdom beyond her years and it was great to meet her. Press 'play' which appears beneath the feature phot

Joe Furlonger is one of  Australia’s most respected painters, with his work crossing landscape, figures and portraiture. He's probably best known for a particular kind of landscape which he returns to time and time again. He paints those flat areas of the Australian farmlands and bush, the places where at first glance there doesn't seem to be much going on, where the horizon seems to stretch out forever. Places like Moree and the Darling Downs.  But he always seems to find a way to interpret those spaces which injects an excitement into the image and that invariably involves multiple layers of paint energetically applied. Furlonger's not concerned with traditional rules of landscape painting or the restrictions of gaining an exact likeness in portraiture. His methods appear to be instinctive in one sense but, on the other hand, also drawn from keen observation. What emerged from talking with him, though, was his constant struggle to avoid stagnation and his desire to always be looking for a new approach unti

Jacqui Stockdale paints, sculpts, collages, creates animations, has staged live performances and produces exquisite portrait photography. When I visited her Melbourne studio I was bowled over by a huge horse she had sculpted – a life-sized Phar Lap in the middle of the studio piled high with a large collection of masks on its back; masquerade masks which she first came upon on a trip to india and kept collecting. Bright, expressive and slightly creepy. Horses and masks feature again and again but her work is never predictable. She’s always shaking it up a bit, adding a touch of shock value along the way. Her photographic art work 'Historia', of a topless female Ned Kelly, would have raised the eyebrows of one or two historians. Over the time she spent in Sydney in the late 90s she painted prolifically and was awarded five art prizes in less than two years and has won several prizes since then including the Moran Contemporary Photograhic award. She has exhibited in 20 solo shows and has a show coming up at S

In Alexander McKenzie's paintings the sun hides below the horizon and a low light illuminates the mysterious landscape. It might be a manicured garden or a hill covered in trees and there will probably be water nearby. Perhaps the sea, a lake, a channel. Perfectly still but brightly reflecting the sky. One thing's for sure. You're going to venture in for a closer look. At first it might look familiar but as you get closer you realise it’s not a place that you're likely to find on this earth.  You’ll discover things you didn’t notice at first glance; a closed gate with its key lost in the painting, a bridge taking you to another place, a red flag warning you to reconsider. Those elements are not accidental. They’ve been deliberately placed by the artist who is himself looking for answers where spirituality is key. Even the symbols in his portraiture lend themselves to a metaphoric interpretation. He’s had twenty five solo shows in Australia and the UK, has been a finalist in the Archibald six times, seven ti

Ann Thomson is one of Australia's most significant artists. She’s been painting for over 60 years, has exhibited in over 40 solo shows and there’s no sign of her slowing down. Her works are filled with colour and movement which command the viewer’s attention. They’re all about feeling and touch, delving into abstraction in her unique way. She’s won the Wynne prize, the Geelong Contemporary art prize, the Kedumba Drawing prize, the Tattersall's art prize and others. She’s also an acclaimed sculptor and, as with her paintings, likes to work in large scale.  Her incredible installation selected for the Seville Expo in 1992 was 11 metres high and took 3 months to complete when it was shipped over to Spain. I had a great conversation with Ann in her huge studio in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. We talked about why we need musicians and artists, what makes a strong painting, how to tap into creativity and lots more. Her work is included in the forthcoming show '6 artists | 7 days' at Defiance Gallery which opens on 23

What do you imagine when you think of a painting of flowers by a woman artist? It might be a Margaret Olley still life set in her crowded Paddington terrace or a Margaret Preston with a striped tablecloth or it might be a close up Georgia O'Keefe with all its erotic interpretations. But it might also be considered less serious - just a pretty picture painted in a domestic setting. It was partly for that reason that Laura Jones initially resisted the flower as subject matter, until it was clear to her that that’s what she should be painting. Her exploration of the flower has developed over the years and took an interesting direction in her spectacular recent show ‘Too Much, Not Enough’ at Sophie Gannon Gallery. The show sold out quickly and a waiting list is in place for collectors. Jones is also a passionate environmentalist and her show at Olsen gallery last year resulted from residencies in the Great Barrier Reef after a severe bleaching event. Those works were both awe-inspiring and shocking. In this ep

Gina Kalabishis's work is about relationships and connection; connecting with nature and connecting with each other. Her recent show at Flinders Lane Gallery, 'Bundanon Floor to Sky', drew on her time spent within the landscape of Bundanon, the gift that artist Arthur Boyd and his wife Yvonne gave to the Australian people. Bundanon is a property of over 1000 hectares on the Shoalhaven river in NSW which offers residencies to artists and writers, an extensive education program and much more. From her time at Bundanon, Kalabishis has produced an astonishing body of work. Her triptych 'Bundanon Floor to Sky - You are always a part of me now (after Van Morrison)', which is over three and a half metres long, immerses the viewer into that lush landscape from the roots of the trees to the sky above. Other works in the series, too, explore the area from the ground all the way up to the troposphere, far above the landscape. Kalabishis also combines ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement, with native Austral

There's the Archibald portraits but there’s also the other stuff; a painting of a home aquarium where a scuba diver is caught in the tentacles of an octopus, the cast of Seinfeld are looking for their car in that famous episode, Michael Jackson and Bubbles the chimp sit in a cloud while a jet skiier zooms along a lake below. There are also the stills from movies and TV shows from Jaws and Rambo to Magnum PI and the Dukes of Hazzard. Welcome to the wonderful world of Marc Etherington’s art. Etherington is a self-taught artist who took up painting when he was housebound one snowy winter in Canada 12 years ago. He's been selected as a finalist in the Archibald Prize for the last four years in a row and twice for the Sulman Prize. His portraits of artists Del Kathryn Barton, Ken Done and Paul Williams stopped me in my tracks in the Art Gallery of NSW and the story behind this year's self-portrait 'Me and Granny' reveals as much about his personality as his painting skill. His use of colour and composition comb

If you are an Archibald tragic like me, you might have first noticed Andrew Lloyd Greensmith's work when it was hanging in the Art Gallery of NSW last year in that arresting portrait of 102 year old Eileen Kramer. It was his first ever Archibald entry and he has been selected this year again with his portrait of lecturer and feminist Susan Carland. What you might not know about Greensmith, though, is that he’s also a renowned plastic and reconstructive surgeon and was the leader of one of the teams which worked together to separate Bangladeshi conjoined twins Krishna and Trishna, who were joined at the head, in 2009.  That complex operation was a success and made world headlines. Greensmith still works as a surgeon but is increasingly turning his attention to painting and now spends up to two days a week in his studio. In this interview, we talk about his life, doubts and fears as an artist, but also a lot about the painting process -  colour, glazing, the pitfalls of using photographs, how the knowledge o

Bernard Ollis's art takes you on a journey. It might be down a windy road down a back lane in Sydney, across a bridge in Paris or you might find yourself in a park or a swimming pool or a fishing boat and you might meet people or animals along the way. But you’ll also be turning corners and seeing what’s beyond the buildings and fences around you without ever leaving that 2D plane. His wonderful use of perspective and colour takes us to a moment in twisted space which is surprising and brimming with optimism. He’s had over 50 solo shows exhibiting from London to Paris to Berlin to Shanghai to Auckland and right across Australia. Many major art institutions have acquired his work and his paintings are held in many private collections. He’s also found time to make his mark in art education holding leading positions in universities and is well known for his time as the director of the National Art School in Sydney, a position he held for over a decade. He continued painting throughout that time but for approxi

You may know Dee Smart from the popular Australian television series Water Rats or Home and Away or from her feature film roles but you can now add the Archibald prize to that list. She has been shortlisted in the famous portrait prize two years in a row, this year with a striking painting of choreographer and dancer Meryl Tankard. She took up drawing and painting over 15 years ago and honed her craft while still acting. It  was inspiring to hear her talk openly about the catalyst for taking that direction – in the middle of a struggle with post-natal depression. She has had three shows including most recently an exhibition of beautiful mixed media works of the underwater world of Gary the crab which she’s planning to make into a children’s book 'Blue bottle bubbles'. She's also delving into abstraction and her work will be included in at least two shows later this year. We talk about her journey to becoming a painter and her inspirational attitude towards her future as an artist - a wonderful mix of curio

Steve Lopes is not looking to make a pretty picture. For a work to be enduring he believes 'there has to be a level of poison in it', some gritty quality that keeps you coming back. His powerful painting which won the Gallipoli Art Prize this year contains that little bit of poison. It lures the viewer with an evocative sunset only to reveal the reminders of battle trenches and detritus scattered across the landscape. Lopes has been painting figurative work for over twenty years starting at a time when it was decidedly unfashionable. He has been acknowledged by art critic John McDonald as 'one of the most dedicated artists you'll find anywhere' and his outstanding works in his distinctive figurative style have captured the attention of art collectors and institutions alike. He seeks to deal with the figure and the landscape together, depicting the relationship we have with our surrounds and does that in any way he can get the paint onto the surface, always looking for a way to push it further. He has exhib