Talking With Painters

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