Talking With Painters

He only started painting about 18 months ago, but Jordy Kerwick has caught the attention of art dealers and curators across the world. As this episode goes online, his first solo show opens at Lindberg Galleries, in Melbourne, Australia. His next will be in New York's Anna Zorina Gallery and will be followed by another five group shows which are coming up in Europe and the US. Kerwick attributes part of his success to the power of Instagram, where he has a substantial following - and it's growing daily. It's there that he's connected and made friends with other artists which has fuelled his love of painting with the exchange of images and ideas. But just a glance at his work is enough to see why he is in such hot demand. His mark making, brushstroke and use of colour create an emotion and vibrancy which has drawn in his followers. Hear in this conversation how Kerwick's wife Rachael was a major influence in his taking up painting, how his sons inspire him both in his art and in his life, and how music and

At only 32 years of age, Natasha Bieniek has been awarded the Wynne prize for landscape painting, the Portia Geach Memorial award for portrait painting and the Metro art award, has been a five time finalist in the Archibald prize, a three time finalist in the Doug Moran National Portrait prize and has been shortlisted in many others. Impressive as that is, what's more amazing about Bieniek’s work is its size. Her winning Wynne prize painting 'Biophilia' was only 9cm square and her portrait of Wendy Whiteley, which was highly commended by the trustees in the 2016 Archibald prize, is only  13.5cm x 18.5cm. She is without doubt a master of the miniature. Bieniek has exhibited in six solo shows, across Australia and overseas, and in many group shows. The National Portrait Gallery held an exhibition in 2014, ‘In the Flesh’, where 14 of her miniature portraits were included, borrowed from private collections. In our conversation, Bieniek reveals how it was not all smooth sailing at the beginning and talks about

Lewis Miller is one of Australia's greatest living portrait artists. He won Australia's most famous portrait award, the Archibald prize, in 1998 and has been a finalist 17 times. As well as winning and being shortlisted in many other art awards, his works are held in numerous public and private art collections in Australia and internationally. He has had 30 solo shows and his work has been included in over 90 group shows. Painting from life, he has masterfully captured the likeness of notable sitters including High Court justices, a Nobel laureate, the first man to climb Mount Everest, as well as many artists and friends. In addition to his portraits and nudes, he paints exquisite still lifes which glow from the canvas. He was appointed by the Australian War Memorial as a war artist in the Iraq conflict in 2003 and another commission saw him travel the globe to draw and paint over 60 portraits of scientists and technicians involved in the Human Genome Project. In this episode of the podcast, Miller talks a

With his work currently hanging in Flinders Lane Gallery alongside other leading emerging artists, Michael Simms' career has taken a leap since he completed his classical training at Sydney's Julian Ashton Art School in 2014. In the last 12 months alone he has won three art prizes; the Cambridge Studio Gallery portrait prize, the Cliftons Sydney Art prize and the Cliftons People's choice award.  He was finalist in seven others including the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture and the Percival Tucker Portrait Prize, has exhibited in two solo exhibitions and has been in a number of group shows. But his path forward has not always been as clear as it is today and he talks openly about the uncertainty he experienced after leaving university when he struggled to find direction.  An unexpected 21st birthday present and advice he received from a life drawing teacher led him to enrol at Julian Ashton Art School where he became 'addicted' to drawing and painting and was awarded a scholarship. In our conversation he als

Suzanne Archer has been an influential artist in Australia for over four decades, producing superb works across painting, drawing and sculpture. Born in Surrey, England, Archer has lived in Australia nearly all her adult life. For the past 30 years she has lived in the bushland suburb of Wedderburn, on the outskirts of Sydney, in a thriving artist's community. She made her mark in the art world relatively quickly after arriving in Australia in the 60s and has gone on to win many art prizes including the Wynne prize for landscape painting, the Dobell prize for drawing and the Kedumba drawing prize. There were two surveys of Archer's work over 2016/2017 which displayed its impressive depth. She has had 40 solo shows and been involved in over 150 group shows over her career. In this podcast interview, Archer talks about how her first solo show in Sydney resulted in a media response involving not only newspaper reviews but appearances on television, how the Sydney University veterinary laboratory played a role

One of Australia's most outstanding painters, McLean Edwards had his first solo show at 16 years of age when he was still at high school. Since then he has had 30 solo exhibitions with his most recent, 'Marsupials', about to open in New York at Olsen Gruin Gallery. He is a five time Archibald Prize finalist and has been included in the Archibald as a sitter four times. His compelling paintings invite us to enter another world where his characters' lives and motives are limited only by our imaginations. In this podcast interview, Edwards talks about how that first solo show came about, why he was later kicked out of art school and why he doesn't usually take portrait commissions. He also reveals interesting background details about his Archibald finalist portraits of Tim Storrier and Cate Blanchett. To hear the podcast interview press 'play' above and see below for the paintings we talk about and a short video taken on the day of the interview. Upcoming events Solo exhibition, 'Marsupials', Olsen Gruin,

Alesandro Ljubicic's nature-inspired paintings appear to be emerging from the canvas. He uses an impasto technique, applying thick layers of paint, to create extraordinary works which entice the viewer in for a closer look. Ljubicic has had seven solo shows, has been involved in many more group shows and has been a finalist in various art competitions including the Doug Moran National Portrait prize, the Mosman art prize and Paddington art prize. His paintings range from the representational to the pure abstract and he keeps pushing the limits of what he can do with oil paint. His recent work ranges from very large semi abstract paintings up to four and a half metres wide to smaller abstract works which can be up to 8cm deep in paint and essentially lie somewhere between painting and sculpture. Ljubicic also has a mind for business.  He founded the Sydney Art store when still at art school. In the podcast interview he tells the story of how that started and why it's still important to him to keep that busin

Loribelle Spirovski's career is rising. Fast. Although she only began painting seriously about five years ago, in just over the last two she won the Cambridge Studio Gallery Art prize and has been a finalist in 18 other art competitions including the Black Swan Art Prize, Muswellbrook Art Prize, the Portia Geach Memorial Award and was semi finalist twice in the Doug Moran National Portrait prize. She will be showing her work in three solo shows and two group shows over the next 12 months. Born in the Philippines, Spirovski came to Australia when she was nine and studied to become an art teacher, never imagining she could become a practising artist. However, she soon realised teaching was not for her, and during a period of despondency, took to painting. She has not turned back.  Relentlessly researching renowned artists and their techniques she has embarked on an exciting path of exploration, constantly taking risks and producing impressive works along the way. In this interview she talks about how she tau

Jenny Sages was born in Shanghai, China, to Russian parents. Her family migrated to Australia in the 40s when she was a teenager. After studying at the Franklin School of Art in New York she returned to Australia where she worked as a freelance illustrator and writer, mainly in fashion and travel, for various magazines including Vogue. It wasn’t until the early 80s, when she went on a trip to the remote Kimberley ranges in Western Australia, that her career in fine art really began.  It was there that she fell in love with the people and landscape of the Australian outback and she began her career as a full time painter. It was the beginning of annual trips to remote communities of the Northern Terrirtory and Western Australia where she became friends with aboriginal artists including those amongst Australia's most famous - Emily Kngwarreye and Gloria Petyarre. Sages not only paints the Australian landscape but is also an acclaimed portraitist and creates intricate abstract works. Apart from winning the W

Acclaimed artist Belynda Henry has been painting professionally for over 20 years and has exhibited in over 25 solo shows across Australia.  Her works inspire an emotional response from many of her viewers achieved through her masterful use of colour, shape and brushstroke. Her shows sell out quickly, often within the first hour of the works becoming available, and she receives many commissions. Henry predominantly paints landscapes but she was also a finalist in the Archibald prize for portraiture in 2016.  She has been selected as a finalist in many other art competitions including four times in the prestigious Wynne prize for landscape painting. Our conversation took place in Henry's studio in a secluded valley on the central coast of NSW so the sounds you hear in the background are the birds of the Australian bush. We not only hear about how she achieved success in the art world but also of advice she received from significant people in her life which helped her get there.  She also talks about how to