The BIG EVENT 19th May 2018

The BIG EVENT this Saturday 19th May won't be in London....
It will be right here in Adelaide when the Four Amigos, Mike Barr, Alan Ramachandran, Bill Truslove and I will be performing something never before attempted without a safety net.
At the Campbelltown Rotary Art Show from 12.30pm on we will be painting simultaneously, in our chosen medium, from the same mystery reference subject. Each work will be the same size and all four works will be offered for sale matted and backed ready for framing. The sale price is $200 each and, sorry, we can only accept cash.
We will all be equipped with microphones and will take questions as we go. This novel, not to be missed event is always popular.

Oil Sketch 20cm x 25cm on canvas on board

Tonal watercolour sketch - 20cm x 25cm on unknown paper

Big Red - watercolour on 200gsm sketch book paper - 15cm x 15cm

 "Nation Building - before O H & S" Watercolour on Arches 300 rough - 56cm 76cm

Recent excitement....

All in reverse chronological sequence

Friday night:

WINNER   - St Peters Cathedral Art Prize  - Social Comment Section

"After the fire has gone out" - oil on canvas  60cm x 90cm

I was delighted to have my canvas receive the category prize at the St Peters Cathedral Art Prize 2017.  My sincere thanks to Rosie and the team for their concerted efforts.

Thursday Afternoon: 

Word from the Walkerville Rotary Art Exhibition that my bronze sculpture "Dignity" (see previous post below) has been sold.  (the new owner has let me know who he is and I am happy to report that it will go to a caring home)

Tuesday afternoon: 

I was thrilled to get advice that my elephant sculpture "Dignity" was awarded a Commendation at the Walkerville Rotary Art Exhibition. (I was just reminded that it had also won 1st prize in the indoor sculpture category at the 2017 Clare Rotary Art Exhibition - always a hotly contested category.)

Tuesday:

The last session in my current Pepper St watercolour classes.  The images below were from the final session.     I hope that members were not too distressed by the challenges I set them during the last five weeks - I know from their work that everyone improved markedly - I just hope they also enjoyed the sessions as much as I did.

Just to round out the week

Just to round out the week here's a small oil study from yesterday morning ( 2.5mm MDF 200mm x 250mm) ..... 
Unless someone can come up with a better name I'll call it "Deep in thought"

With today's temperature set to reach 30 degrees C I took the opportunity to fast dry it by leaving it under the back window of the car out in the sun.   

Three days this week.....

The week started with the SAWS AGM and the twenty minute demo below....

Followed by a sprint to the Port Adelaide Community Centre opening of the latest exhibition, "Fusion"....  where my painting of the boy in the hat was awarded a merit... as was my elephant statue.   WOW

Then while sitting in at the Gallery on Wednesday morning I painted a couple of extra works. The one below was my favourite.

So this morning at the Elizabeth Art Society ANEAS I painted the small oil below in preparation for a larger piece.

SALA festival in Adelaide is always a busy time but I didn't realise just how busy until this year.

The week that was...

Saturday night my little elephant was awarded 2nd prize in oils at Tea Tree Gully Art Show.

I didn't have time to paint until Thursday morning when I did three small oils

all approx 12cm x 18cm .....

The Blacksmith - oil on canvas sheet

Child study - oil on mat board (unprimed)

Head of a woman - oil on primed MDF board

Then yesterday morning I tried a watercolour on some paper a dear friend had given me.

Fisherman - watercolour on Blue Lake handmade toned paper from Mt.Gambier. approx 30cm x 40cm

and then in the afternoon when I went to pick up my work from the Tea Tree Gully exhibition I had a lovely surprise.
My small terra cotta had been accorded, what some artist friends regard as the ultimate accolade, a People's Choice Award.

Winston in the garden - terra cotta and australian oak - approx 30cm x 20cm x 15cm

Perhaps colleagues are right - I really haven't got anything to complain about. 

BTW - the watercolour portrait workshop at Art Stretchers on March 19th still has a few vacancies - contact Angela on 82122711 for details.

Koala

Koala - Oil on MDF 10cmx15cm

These little marsupials are NOT BEARS.  A lot of people mistakenly think that, because of their cute, furry resemblance to commercial Teddy Bear toys they must belong to the bear species. They are arboreal, fussy about the eucalypt leaves they feed on and rarely need to drink water. They are endemic to Australia and one of our fauna emblems not commonly found on fancy restaurant menus.

This was a quick 20 minute rendition to use some of my excess paint from my palette yesterday morning.

Betty - watercolour 38cmx27cm on arches 140gsm rough

 I was watching David Jon Kassan doing an oil demo on youtube. What a wonderful artist he is. I liked his subject and wanted to try capturing her in watercolour. 
BTW the South Australian Watercolour Society has its second round of Watercolourist of the Year 

event, a Critique Day will be on Saturday 4th Feb 2017, theme will be Fauna. So get painting and come and join in. Check the SAWS website for more information.

and now for some fun......

John Goodman - oil on MDF panel -25cmx20cm

From the movie - The Monuments Men - at least I had got more enjoyment while painting this pic than I did watching this insipid movie. Ah well - you live and learn.

Oil, Water and Clay

I am delighted to have been awarded a two week exhibition at the Black Diamond Gallery
after having accrued the largest total of
People's Choice Awards at Port Art Centre Exhibitions during 2014.

Never before has so much of my work been on display in one location.

There will be much that's new as well as work that has been shown before.

I believe there will be something that will interest everyone.

...and if you'd like to see me at work or just come for a chat I'd love to see you.

I'll be there from this Saturday on.

Cheers

Gerhard

Winner 2015 St Peters Cathedral Art Show

Mike - Unable to forget

I am thrilled that this painting of Mike was awarded first prize at St Peters Cathedral Art Show 2015.

This marks the third time that one of my paintings has won this prestigious art prize - 2011 and 2008 previously.

My sincere thanks to the sponsors, Paradise Motors, and the organisers and helpers that bring this show together time and again.

Thanks again Mike, for letting me paint you.

The Wedding Guest - oil on canvas - approx 60cm x 60cm

This painting was recently awarded the runner up prize in the Open Section of the Port Adelaide Rotary Art Exhibition 2014.  It shows my grandson's character exactly - and I daresay that of many other boys his age.

Mike

Mike - Oil on canvas, 100cm x 75cm
Mike is a Vietnam veteran. For many vets the fighting has never stopped - now it is not in the jungle but against belligerent bureaucracy and politicians.
This portrait is part of my involvement in a group exhibition in April 2015 to commemorate 100 years of ANZAC. It will widen the focus to include not only WW1 and foreign battlefields but look instead at Australians at home and abroad in wars and skirmishes since 1915.

Thanks Mike, for agreeing to sit for me.

Bald Archy Finalist 2014 - SOLD

My Bald Archy Entry 2014

COSTA’S  BOO!

What do you get when you cross Tiny Tim with the Wooky?

Costa – the TV host with the most – hair that is – and a marshmallow toughness that couldn’t hurt a fly.

This hippie love child has the looks of a remnant from the musical ‘Hair’ with a beard that’s “a nest for birds – there ain’t no words”.

His scarecrow looks belie his communication ability.  He uses his down to earth skills to convey an infectious, deep rooted love for life and all things living; plants, animals, birds and insects.

There simply is no better example of the adage

“Never judge a book by its cover.”

Subject – Costa Georgianis

Oil on Canvas – 90cmW x 60cmH

Standing in judgement

Standing in judgement - oil on canvas 900mm x 600mm

It is delightful to observe human nature.  While the speaker is delivering one message the spectators are all reacting differently; individually interpreting what they hear and expressing some of that in their body language.

BALLET AT REST

 Ballet at rest  -  Oil on canvas 100cm x 45cm

It' been sometime since my last post - I haven't stopped painting I'm just a bit tardy with the posting.
Painting children can be both inspirational and hard work.  This little group was both.

Winner 

Oil and Acrylic Section

4th Solar Art Prize

Caring for our Planet

Hanging on for dear life   Oil on canvas   40cm x 60cm

I am proud to announce that this little painting 

heralding the plight of the wild chimpanzee

was tonight awarded the 1st prize in the oil

and acrylic category of the 4th Solar Prize.

My sincere thanks go to curator/organiser Phillipa Fletcher,

her judges and her major sponsor

Natural Technology Systems. 

This competition is growing in stature each year

as it attracts more and more high calibre artists.

NT Drover

 

NT Drover - oil on canvas  37cm x 25cm

Every now and then I find the need to do something a little different.  I don't think this gentleman is actually a drover but I'm pretty sure he's from the Northern Territory.

Resting in slips

Resting in slips  - oil on canvas  20cm x 36cm

Another small oil. 
To me a boat on land is like a fish out of water - t'aint natural.

This will be available in the soon upcoming
Blackwood Rotary Art Show.

Gawler Backyard

Gawler Backyard - oil on canvas 20cm x 40cm

I have resisted painting landscapes for some time now.  But seeing others paint
them with alacrity has spurred me on to try my hand. 

I have started small, just to get a feel for the genre.  I'll post a few more shortly.