People's choice award winner 2010 (woot!)

So I did it. This painting (which I hold so dear to me) won the People's Choice Award for the 2010 Cancer Council Art Awards.

Eydie's made me do it!

Last night I happened upon this rad (yes that's right, I'm using the word "RAD") wee bar in East Brunswick, situated on the tail end of Lygon Street.

Named Eydie's after 1950's singer Eydie Gormé, it was peculiar to me that this bar had that "clean and brand new" look, yet also managed to have a whole lota personality. The 1950's inspired furnishings were unpretentious and remained stylish, and the music selection was retro without being cliche. The entire bar atmosphere was warm and welcoming which I think was mostly credited to the really friendly bar staff.

I guess I must have really enjoyed my experience at this bar that I felt compelled and inspired to whip up my own little logo to mark the evening. In case you're curious to check it for yourself :

86 Lygon Street

East Brunswick

VIC 3057

Open from

Mon - Wed 5pm - 12am

Thu - Sun 4pm - 1am

(Ha! And maybe if you fall this bar the way I have, you can always join the Facebook group!)

Eureka!!

Image property of the Bendigo Historical Society

Today I am both proud and pleased to announce that m

y 2010 illustration of "Margaret Kennedy and Julia Farrell start The Rush" was officially acquired by the Bendigo Historical Society. Of all the potential homes this work could have, the Bendigo Historical Society was the most fortunate, and I feel best and happiest place for it to go.

Bon Voyage my dearest-largest-to-date-watercolour-illustration-depicting-Margaret-Kennedy-and-Julia-Farrell-panning-for-gold-at-the-rocks-where-what-is-now-known-as-the-city-of-Bendigo.

You will be missed... but I will come visit.

The Australian Premiere of Liz Lochhead's Blood and Ice

One summer Mary Godwin (Kellie Tori), her lover the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (Eoin O’Connell), and her step-sister Clare Clairmont (Lauren-Anne Kempster) joined Lord Byron (Luke Lennox) and John Polidori at Lake Genoa in Switzerland. During this trip, by way of entertaining themselves, Lord Byron issued a legendary challenge to see who could write the most terrifying ghost story.

T'was here that Mary created... Frankenstein (oooh boogie boogie).

The play looks back at this summer and switches to other events from some years in the future when Mary is haunted by her own creation, by her guilt at events and scandals that surrounded her romance with Shelley, and the many tragedies that followed.

I confess that even before I sat down I had a pretty good idea I was going to like this production - you see I'm one of those people that has a morbid curiosity with things like ghost tours or the origin of Vampires or the true identity of Jack the Ripper etc etc. So to see a play that explores the origin of Mary Shelley's classic tale of Frankenstein was exactly my cup'o'tea.

Within the first scene I was swept up in the emotion and charm of a young Mary and her lover Shelley, and there I remained immersed until the play's final scene. The lighting and sound was dramatic and atmospheric, the costumes and props effective, but for me it was the the acting that remained so strong that the show was satisfyingly addictive.

@ Chapel Off Chapel, 28th Oct - 13th Nov 2010

Performed by Kellie Tori, Eoin O'Connell, Lauren Smith, Lauren-Anne Kempster, Luke Lennox and Charlie Ranger

Directed by Jennifer Innes

My favorite caricatures (and commissions)

Silly Fat Cow and a Two-faced B

A painting idea that I've had dancing around in circles in my head for many many years.

I'd often wondered what people would look like if name calling or insults could be literal, for example, what would a silly fat cow or a two-faced bitch really look like? Perhaps something like the circus-freak-show-clowns that live in Tinsel Town? I'll admit within this painting there is a wee homage to Ms. Spears (whom I'm actually fond of) and Ms. Hilton.

And in hindsight *pauses to think* I think I should have made the cow orange (as in "fake tan orange")

Moore in "Beyond first impressions"

Field have accepted my portrait into their upcoming show "Beyond first impressions: What changes once you get to know me".

I'd submitted my painting of Richard Moore because I had admired the way he had stood his ground in authorizing the screening of Jeff Daniel's documentary "10 Conditions of Love" at the 2009 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF). To me, I felt this was an important reminder to people in Australia that we are lucky to have as much freedom as we do in this country, and this I felt met the theme criteria of the Field exhibition.

Eureka!!.... oops not quite.

Image property of the Bendigo Historical Society

Margaret Kennedy and Julia Farrell start The Rush

Earlier this year the Bendigo Art Gallery announced The Paul Guest Prize for drawing.

I was excited by this news for a number of reasons, I'd visited Bendigo the previous year to view the touring 2009 Archibald exhibition and I had throughly enjoyed the weekend away indulging in the history of this once famous gold rush city. I was also keen to rise to the challenge of breaking out the old watercolour pencils giving myself a break from painting...

but if I'm really honest, the real selling clincher was the $10,000 prize money - Ha! I mean why not give it a go right?

There was no appointed theme for the competition which suited me. I'd already been inspired by a small slice of Bendigo history; allegedly in 1851 two women, Margaret Kennedy and Julia Farrell found gold which was picked up by a newspaper journalist which was how the gold rush got started in Bendigo. There is not much documentation on this story but I found it quite interesting all the same.

Painstakingly drawn - seriously, it took ages - on A1 drawing board with layer upon layer of watercolour pencil I illustrated my interpretation of Kennedy and Farrell finding gold. Surrounding them are ghost or shadow images of a number of future iconic structures to Bendigo, ie. Bendigo's talking tram, the Town Hall and the entrance to the Chinese Museum.

Below: Bendigo fountain on Pall Mall and the Chinese Museum entrance,

Bendigo's talking tram, lookout tower, the Town Hall

Images property of the Bendigo Historical Society

Click on any of the photos to view larger

My entry was unsuccessful. Am I disappointed? Totally!

I put a lot of care and thought into this work - as I do with all my work. Though I had really tailored my concept for Bendigo specifically thinking that it would appeal to the judging panel at the Bendigo Art Gallery. Obviously it didn't work, and maybe that's even the reason why it wasn't selected because it was TOO "Bendigo".

In all honesty, the images I have don't really do the work justice.The pencil work is so fine and there is so much small detail that it was actually a very difficult work to photograph. To see this work in the "flesh" is quite vibrant and impressive. I'm proud of this work.

Image property of the Bendigo Historical Society

click on photo to view larger

696INK: Erotic Grotesque

The painting above (painted by moi) will appear in the upcoming Erotic Grotesque exhibition at gallery 696INK. I call it "I Love Crabby Women"

Artists participating in 'Erotic Grotesque': Ashlee Duggan, Rev "Blood Painter" Mayers, Mark Powell, Dale Keogh, Beau White, Curran James, Jason Jacenko, Elspeth McIntosh, Matthew Turner, Sally Hanreck, Meg Woodsworth, Wendy Olsen and more

Cancer Council Victoria 2010 Arts Awards ‘Lost and Found’

Cancer Council Victoria has selected my painting of Mum for their 2010 Arts Awards. I’m really proud to be included in this exhibition for so many reasons, one of the biggest reasons is it’s a very personal, sentimental and emotional painting to me.

The exhibition will open on Sunday 11 July 3-5pm @ 120 Collins Street Melbourne and run until the Friday 30 July.

As part of the exhibition there is a people's choice award. For any of you who might like to show your support, please click here to vote. Voting finishes November 2010.

Thank you :)

Moore painting publicity.

After not getting into the Archibald earlier this year, my entry of Richard Moore WAS in actual fact selected by the Salon de Refusés, aka Hidden Faces of the Archibald. But for personal reasons I refused the Refusés.

I'd posted the painting on my blog, and shortly there after I was contacted by someone who wanted to do a profile piece on me and my entry of Richard Moore for the RMIT Alumni online newsletter. I was very flattered and accepted the opportunity to share my painting to a wider audience.

(click here to read profile)

Archibald Portrait Prize Submission - Mark Two!

One lesson learnt from last year's submission - paint someone actually known in the Arts, Letters and Sciences and NOT yourself (unless am actually known and highly regarded in one of those areas..... hmmm, obviously not quite yet).

Learning from my mistakes I chose to approach Richard Moore, Executive Director of the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), who has been responsible for overseeing operations of Australia’s largest annual film festival from 2006 - 2010. Being a generous man and a man of good humour who indulges a good coffee, he agreed to sit for me.

In 2009 he authorized the screening of Jeff Daniels’ controversial documentary 10 Conditions of Love, a film about the Uyghur activist Rebiya Kadeer. The film was shown in the face of intense pressure from Han Chinese activists, including the Chinese Consulate.

My main motivation for approaching Richard Moore was I admired the way he stood his ground in the screening of 10 Conditions of Love despite pressure inside and outside Australia. Australia is a very privileged country to have the right of free speech and I think Australians should be reminded of this. I call the painting Speak Freely as in, "Permission to speak freely, Sir!" and as Australians.... we can!

Click on picture for a larger image

My entry into the Archibald for 2010 was unsuccessful. Which is only a shame because I so dearly wanted to share the painting's message to live and nation wide audience. I'll admit I'm a little disappointed at the outcome. I'm a little bruised and a little battered, but I'm all the more determined too.

Fingers crossed I may be selected for the Salon de Refusés aka. Hidden Faces of the Archibald.

696INK: Grand Opening Group Show (Featuring work by ME!)

Jon Beinart, creator of Toddlerpedes and founder of BeInArt Surrealist Collective asked me (via Elspeth) to submit my Maam Alian works into 696INK’s grand opening group show.

This was very flattering... so I am.

This visual art and tattoo gallery, although small, is an amazing place with really exceptional works by many truly amazing artists. Included in this group show will be Elspeth McIntosh, Jon Beinart and Jason Jacenko and many more kick-arse artists.

Details: Friday 5^th of March, 6pm – 696 Sydney Road, Brunswick, VIC.

Email 696ink@gmail.com to be on the mailing list.

Above flyer artwork by Jason Jacenko.

Poster Concept: Adelaide Fringe 2010

For a bit o fun I entered the Adelaide Fringe 2010 poster competition in September last year.

Having attended the Fringe before, I felt it to be a Festival that offered a lot in terms of fun, entertainment and atmosphere. Thus my concept was based upon the idea of “Adventure and Fun for the Senses”.

The outcome? Well I didn’t win… this time.

I realise I missed a very important detail – it was the Fringe’s 50th year. A very important milestone and very important marketing angle for the Festival. Silly Lucy. So I appreciate the relevance of the winning entry.

(I still feel my poster is pretty cute though)