Talking With Painters

John Wolseley is one of Australia’s most important artists.  He portrays the Australian landscape and its ecosystems from the roots of a tree to a whole floodplain; from trees, birds and fish to a tiny beetle. Using a variety of techniques, he says he creates a kind of inventory or document of the state of the earth, revealing both the energy and beauty of it. To do that he physically immerses himself in nature, spending long periods at a time camping and observing the country from Tasmania to central Australia to Arnhem land. Wolseley has had over 25 solo shows and the exhibition Midawarr | Harvest is currently travelling around the country. It is a collection of his works and those of aboriginal elder Mulkun Wirrpanda with whom he has developed a special bond over many years. His work is held in most important Australian art institutions and of course many private collections. But probably the most interesting part of our conversation is where he talks about literally collaborating with nature to produce

Wendy Sharpe is one of Australia’s most acclaimed and significant painters. She won the Art Gallery of NSW’s Sulman prize in 1986 and has been powering through the art world ever since. She went on to win Australia’s most well-known art award, the Archibald prize, she’s won the Portia Geach - twice - and many other awards. She’s reportedly been finalist more times than any other artist in the Sulman prize and this year is no exception with her brilliant work 'Erskineville train station'. Sharpe has had 57 solo shows, has received many major commissions which include Australian Official War Artist to East Timor, the first woman to do so since World War II. Her work is bold, energetic, vibrant – spanning from a suburban street, to a circus tent, taking in scenes from around the world from China to Egypt, and even Antarctica. We weren’t able to cover everything she’s done in her career but in this episode you’ll hear us talk about women in the arts, including the dreaded term ‘woman painter’, the real and the

Imagine you're out in the wilderness at least an hour’s walk from any sign of human life. It could be very hot, it could be freezing, and in front of you lies a canyon or a snow bank or a river glittering in the sun. Just you, the landscape and your paints. This is how Tim Allen often starts off his expressive landscapes and it’s become an important part of his practice. Allen won one of Australia’s most watched landscape prizes last year; the Paddington Art prize. He has also won the Kedumba drawing award and has had 19 solo shows across Australia. In this episode you’ll hear him talk about how Chinese brush painting fits in with his work, his interesting methods when it comes to brushes and he talks about another type of wilderness - the wilderness years before he started his Masters degree. We recorded this episode in his studio in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, surrounded by his works which would be sent to Defiance Gallery in Sydney a few days later for his exhibition 'Contour, weathered'. To hea

See the Talking with Painters YouTube video below In 2017 a group of twelve Australian artists travelled to Belgium and France to the first World War battlefields of the western front. They created work en plein air, in their hotel rooms and in their studios, documenting their impressions of what they saw and experienced. This powerful exhibition has just started its tour around Australia at New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) in Armidale, NSW. In this episode you’ll hear from artists Wendy Sharpe,  Amanda Penrose Hart and Euan Macleod as well as historian historian Brad Manera, who had previously travelled with many of the artists to Gallipoli. I also interviewed them on camera and made a short video about this exhibition which you can see here. For details of where the exhibition is showing go to www.salientwesternfront.com. The other nine artists in the exhibition: Deirdre Bean Harrie Fasher Paul Ferman Michelle Hiscock Ross Laurie Steve Lopes Ian Marr Idris Murphy Luke Sciberr

Lottie Consalvo is not only a painter. She works across performance art, photography, video and sculpture.  She’s had 9 solo shows in painting alone in just 8 years and has had many more performances and group shows. In 2015 she was one of only 10 artists chosen to take part in a residency in Sydney with world famous performance artist Marina Abramovic and her solo exhibition of painting and sculpture ‘In the remembering’ opened recently at Heide Museum of Modern Art, one of Australia's most important museums.  What's most surprising is that this is all at only 32 years of age. In this podcast episode, recorded in front of a live audience at Newcastle Art Gallery, we talk about her life and how she got where she is.  She also talks about the way she has brought her painting and performance art together particularly in her work 'Ages and Ages', currently hanging at Heide Museum of Modern Art, pictured above. It was fascinating to hear about the private performance she carried out within that space in order to

Although she first went to art school at 15, it wasn’t until she was 38 that Megan Seres started on her path to become a practising artist - when she enrolled in Sydney's National Art School. Then in 2016, encouraged by a friend, she reluctantly entered the prestigious Doug Moran National Portrait Prize and was shocked when it was announced she'd won. The winning portrait of her daughter Scarlett dressed as a colonial girl thrust her into the limelight and she has been creating works which have been catching the attention of art lovers ever since. In the last few weeks alone she has been shortlisted in both the Percival Tucker Portrait prize and the Wyndham Art Prize. In this podcast episode, she talks about the struggles she faced in becoming an artist, recalls the overwhelming experience of winning the Doug Moran portrait prize and talks about the aftermath of that win, including the decisions she had to make regarding the direction her work was taking. The interview was recorded in her studio in beautifu

If he doesn’t have a paintbrush in his hand it’s likely he’ll have a guitar because Peter O'Doherty is as much a musician and songwriter as he is a painter. It wasn't long after leaving high school that he filled in for a guitarist of his brother's band who had gone on holidays and ended up never leaving. That band was Mental As Anything which rocketed to fame in Australia in the late 70s and 80s. During those years he taught himself to paint and that life - immersed in music and art - continues to this day. O'Doherty's paintings are mostly landscapes, many of them focussing on the manmade environment: fibro houses, red brick apartment blocks, cityscapes, quintessentially Australian. But he has also painted domestic still lifes: retro armchairs, a closeup of the washing up in the kitchen sink. His work has been recognised with awards including the Paddington art prize and he has exhibited in over 30 solo shows in Australia and New Zealand. But what I found most fascinating about our conversation were the

Born in the US and currently living in Australia, Renee French is an artist acclaimed for her hundreds, if not thousands, of drawings in the form of original works, art books, graphic novels, underground comix and children's books which she has created over the last 25 years. Her art has been exhibited in solo shows in New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo (several which sold out) as well as in many group shows. And now there is a waiting list for her paintings. They are effectively sold before they are started even though she has only been painting full time for a year. Free from the restrictions of narrative, she now paints characters whose images speak for themselves; a mummified bunny, a cute chihuahua, a bird with an elongated beak and bulging eyes, a raccoon smoking a cigarette. French's imagination brings to life these creatures which stare out at the viewer with soulful eyes. French has over 100,000 followers on Instagram, many who tune in to her live video feeds where she paints and answers questions abo

William Mackinnon's landscapes are at the same time familiar and unexpected. Car headlights illuminate a dark country road revealing improbable markings; a coastal scene viewed through a tangle of gums unveil pink and aqua islands in the distance; a suburban setting is dominated by a flattened brick path and geometrically striped grass verge. He calls them ‘psychological landscapes’ which explore his environment and his response to it, using everyday imagery to evoke human experiences. Through his use of materials and colour he takes us into his mind’s eye. And it’s fascinating. Like many artists before him he went through a period of learning and exploration in his twenties, working in jobs which exposed him to great art. He spent time working and studying in London but went on to work for two years in Australia’s remote communities facilitating the work of Aboriginal elders. It was this experience which ultimately led him to find his own voice as an artist - although not in the way you might expect. In thi

Vincent Fantauzzo is one of Australia's most popular portrait artists.  He has won the Doug Moran National Portrait prize, is a four time winner of the Archibald People's Choice award and was recently commissioned to paint the official portrait of former prime minister Julia Gillard for the Parliament House collection. But his wasn't a smooth path to success. He grew up in a tough neighbourhood where you literally had to fight to get by and he learnt to survive by becoming someone that went against his true nature. Unaware he had dyslexia, he struggled at school and was kicked out at 13 years of age.  He worked from job to job but never stopped drawing and ultimately realised that was what he did best. How he got into and finished university is a story in itself. He is now an adjunct professor of that university, RMIT. In this episode he also tells the story behind many of his famous portraits: of actor Heath Ledger, film director Baz Luhrmann, acclaimed actress Asher Keddie (who is also his wife) and forme

Paul Ryan has had a huge year – 3 solo shows across Australia with Nanda Hobbs, Edwina Corlette and James Makin galleries as well as work being shown with all three at Sydney Contemporary. He has exhibited his work in over 20 solo shows. He’s won numerous art prizes and has been shortlisted many times – 13 times in the Archibald Prize - and on two occasions he achieved the rare distinction of being a finalist in the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes in the Art Gallery of NSW in the one year. His work is characterised by the liberal application of paint, mainly with a palette knife, producing stunning portraits, figures and landscapes. Ryan lives and works in Thirroul, a coastal oasis south of Sydney, where his paintings share space with his surfboards. It's this landscape, with the backdrop of a dramatic escarpment, that Paul paints time and time again, often through the lens of Australian colonial history which has been inspired by literature and music. This subject has not been without controversy, howe

Prudence Flint paints women. Usually in an interior setting and often in an intimate, solitary moment. Her subject might be in the bathroom, showering, or lying on a bed staring at the ceiling or in the kitchen drinking a glass of water. She explores that moment in time in a unique way, through her use of light, colour, portrayal of space and magnificent use of distortion. Flint has won many art awards including the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, the Portia Geach Memorial Award and the Len Fox Painting Award. Her work has also been shortlisted many times - thirteen times in the Portia Geach alone. If you have an interest in painting in Australia, it’s very likely you’re familiar with her work. In this episode, Flint talks about her life and how she found her way to her subject matter and painting methods.  She also gives interesting insights into the workings of the inner critic - something most artists have encountered. Her approach to that is inspired and taps into the mysteries of the creative proce

Ken Done has the most widely recognised name and work of any living Australian painter. His paintings are about the good things in life - happiness, joy, beauty. And they're about colour.  Lots of colour. He had his first solo show 37 years ago when he was 40 after a successful career in advertising. Since then he has had nearly 100 solo shows, received an Order of Australia, gained celebrity status in Japan and has been a finalist on multiple occasions in the Archibald, Wynne, Sulman, Dobell and Mosman art prizes. But of course, Done is also known for his successful lines of clothing, homewares and other products all emblazoned with his artworks. From t-shirts to bedlinen his work has appeared on more than just a canvas.  His business at one point boasted 15 stores across Australia, licensing arrangements in Japan and America and employed 150 people.  Its turnover was in the millions. For many years, though, Done has concentrated purely on his painting, where his passion lies. In this episode Done talks a

Click here to hear extended interview on YouTube She fled communist Romania in 1980, arriving in Australia knowing no-one. But Aida Tomescu has gone on to become one of Australia's most important abstract painters. She has exhibited in over 30 solo shows - including a major survey of her work in 2009 with the Drill Hall Gallery - and her work is held in many public and private collections both in Australia and internationally. Tomescu has also won many awards including the Sulman, Wynne and Dobell prizes - but you get the impression that, although she appreciates that recognition, she doesn't see those awards as her greatest achievements. It became clear in our conversation that her primary aim is to convey meaning through her work and that appears to have been a lifetime pursuit. We talk about her childhood in Romania, her arrival in Australia and the challenges she faced and how she quickly connected to the Australian art scene. Tomescu also explains what she calls 'found' colour, why she isn't chasing te

Vanessa Stockard's work is powerful. If you look into the eyes of her ‘Self-portrait as new mum’ which is hanging in the Archibald Prize this year you’ll probably see something different to the person standing next to you. Her expert use of colour and mixture of some looser and other more deliberate marks makes it one of those beguiling paintings where the expression is so subtle that it’s open to multiple interpretations. She's been painting for over 20 years, had over 15 solo shows in Australia and the US and has been in many more group exhibitions, but this year Stockard has really stepped it up a gear with her selection as a finalist in both the Archibald Prize and the Portia Geach Memorial Award. She lives in Bowral in the southern highlands of NSW with her husband and 18 month old daughter in the beautiful and fabulously eclectic home her husband William Wolfenden designed and built. The plans included a roomy studio where she spends as much time as she can, constantly exploring new ideas. In this ep

In 2007, Archibald prize finalist, Jonathan Dalton, decided to let go of the photography business he had built up in his homeland of Ireland and started teaching himself to paint. Just two years later he won two of the country's major art prizes. It was clear he had taken the right path. With the prize money he and his wife spent time travelling and lived in Spain for a few years before arriving in Australia. In the last few years he has exhibited in five solo shows in Ireland, Spain, China and Australia. His success continues here with his selection as a finalist in the 2017 Archibald prize with a magnificent work titled ‘Lottie and James’ - a portrait of artists Lottie Consalvo and James Drinkwater. It was the first time he had entered the prize. Dalton's aim is to take the viewer beyond photorealism to what he calls ‘theatrical realism’. He imbues his works with a sense of drama, causing the viewer to wonder what’s going on beyond the picture plane.  His exhibition with Nanda Hobbs Contemporary earlier t

Armed with her favourite palette knife which she’s used for the last 10 years, Amanda Penrose Hart dynamically captures the landscape in paint both en plein air and in her studio. She won the Gallipoli Art Prize this year with her painting ‘The Sphinx, Perpetual Peace' and her upcoming show at King Street Gallery on William in Sydney will be her 25th solo show. She has won and been shortlisted in other art awards and her portraits have been recognised in the Portia Geach Memorial Award and the Salon des Refusés on numerous occasions. Over the years Hart has depicted countless landscapes. From the coastal vistas of Moonee Beach in northern NSW and Bruny island in Tasmania, to the drier landscapes of Fowler's Gap, Hill End and Sofala, Hart captures the landscape with a sweep of paint which captures the mood of her surroundings. She's also been involved in projects with other well known Australian painters, travelling to historic sites including Anzac Cove in Turkey and the Western Front in France, returning h

He’s a musician, singer, songwriter, poet and sculptor but of course James Drinkwater is primarily a painter and one of the most exciting contemporary artists creating work in Australia today. Drinkwater started his art training at 10 years of age and now, at 33, has exhibited in 20 solo shows in Australia, London, Singapore and Berlin. He’s been awarded the coveted Brett Whiteley Travelling Art scholarship and Marten Bequest scholarship, has won a number of art prizes and been finalist in many others including three times in the Wynne prize. In this episode of the podcast we talk about what artistic influences he had as a child growing up in Newcastle, his time overseas and the fascinating stories behind two of his impressive Wynne finalist paintings: 'Passage to Rungli Rungliot' and 'Encrusting the Marvellous Heart'. He also talks about his optimistic outlook which seeks out beauty in the world and how nearly every aspect of his life contributes to his art. Upcoming Events Sydney Contemporary, Sydney,

Jude Rae is as interested in faces as she is in gas bottles and airports with her work crossing genres from portraiture to still life and architectural interiors. Amongst the very few artists to have won the Portia Geach Memorial Award for portraiture twice, she was also awarded the Bulgari Art Award last year with her painting 'SL 359', a meditative still life. She has exhibited in over 45 solo shows across Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the US, has been involved in many more group shows and her work is held in major public and private collections across Australia and internationally. We talk about growing up in an artistic home (her father, David Rae, was a painter whose work is held by the Art Gallery of NSW), the challenges of portrait commissions and illusion and materiality in painting.  She also talks about her interest in the viewer looking beyond the narrative a painting might suggest and tells of how she came about painting those gas bottles! You can see a short video taken on the day of the

Joanna Logue is an award-winning painter whose work distinctively reflects her experience of the countryside and bushland. Through her sensual application of paint, she transports the viewer into a dreamlike landscape. She has exhibited in 34 solo shows and her work has been included in over 65 group shows. Her work is held in public and private collections and she has received many commissions. As this podcast goes online her solo show ‘Heartland’ hangs in Sydney's King Street Gallery on William. In this podcast episode, Logue talks about her early life growing up in a small town of NSW before moving to Sydney, she tells of how her relationship with her twin sister impacted her early years, and generously gives many insights into her painting process. She also talks about how she changed her approach to painting from one of seeking perfectionism in the early years to her free and visceral approach today where 'there are no rules'. To hear the interview press 'play' above. To see a short video of Logue tal