Portraits
Phil
Commission: "Ruby's Bat Mitzvah"
Commission: "Nakita"
Commisson: "Elizabeth"
Commisson - "Ayden" no words can describe the love I have for my Grandson
Commision "Connor"
"Wish you wre here" Finalist: Lismore Regional Gallery Portrait Prize 2018. This image is about the wonders of adolescent change and how sad I am to be missing these changes due to my gransons living in the US. These feeling feature in my painting of my grandsons - my love has no bounds. The metaphors in my painting are the magic carpet that will bring my grandsons back to Australia safely. The window depicts the Northern Rivers and the memories that my grandsons have of their special times with us on our farm in Rosebank!
"Shifali" Finalist Lismore Regional Gallery Portrait Prize 2013: This painting aims to capture the beautiful essence in Shifali both external and internal, she has a shyness and confidence that beguiles me and I have attempted to capture this in this painting. I also wanted to embrace her Indian heritage as through her Dad, who comes from Kerala, our lives have been so enriched by his wonderful culture that he has passed onto his children. The books included in this painting depict Shifali’s thirst for knowledge and I never have seen her without a book in her hand at some time during our moments together.
"Self Portrait" Finalist Lismore Regional Gallery Portrit Prize - 2011 I believe for so many us our artistic pursuits will go unnoticed. A lifetime of creating with sometimes minimal recognition for the effort asserted and little if any financial rewards, is the life of most Artists. This sometimes solitary life requires so much self motivation, the strength to deal with isolation for long periods, much self criticism and the bouts of depression some of us experience unite us all. To put your work out there on public view is the most confronting experience and as you wander around listening to the comments, sometime positive and sometimes not, we have to not let these comments influence us so we can push on to the next painting. Why do Artists do it, because we love to create, for us there isn’t a choice it is part of our whole being and the desire to get that image running around in your head onto the canvas is overwhelming!
"Kerry" Finalist Lismore Regional Gallery Portrait Prize 2010: I chose my partner Kerry to be my sitter and I hope I have managed to capture the essence of her true personality which is larger than life. Kerry has such a joy for life and brings so much of that joy to others through her wicked sense of humour, her ability to draw people to her and her empathy for those who are experiencing hardship. She is a wonderful partner, daughter, mother, grandmother and friend and her support of her family and others knows no bounds, she always put others before herself.
Cedar
