Tag Archives: award winning artist

Finalist – Holmes Art Prize for Excellence in Realistic Australian Birdlife 2023.

Australia’s preeminent bird art competition.

“Waratah” painted in oils is one of 40 selected finalist artworks. This painting depicts a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets sitting on one of Australia’s most iconic flowers, the floral emblem for New South Wales.

Rainbow Lorikeets are known for their bright colours and vibrant personalities.  Their boisterous and playful behaviour reflects the larrikin spirit of Australia itself.

Huge thank you to David C. Simon for graciously providing the reference photo used as inspiriation.

A great honour to have my oil painting called “The Stockman” selected as a Finalist in the Collie Art Prize 2023 – theme being Identity.

This is the only portrait ever painted of Ray Macnamara – an iconic Australian Stockman was selected as one of 47 finalists jury selected out of 377 national submission.

Ray’s image has been displayed on billboards in the Kimberley. He has also featured together with RM Williams in a book dedicated to The Stockman – Australian Outback Heritage.

Born in Quilpie, South West Queensland, Ray left home at age 14 and worked as a Station Hand throughout the district. At age 17 his uncle invited Ray to travel to the Kimberley region of Western Australia where he was employed by Lissadell Station and Argyle Downs as a Stockman, Boss Driver and Horse Breaker.

Ray returned to Queensland in his mid 20’s where he obtained his own cattle property. After the success of his enterprise he decided to give something back to the cattle industry serving as the Queensland Chairman of the Cattleman’s Union and as a member of the Cattle Council of Australia.

Ray is now 94, a retired great grandfather of the Australian cattle industry, living just outside Ipswich, Queensland. He has become a good friend.

Ray has written a book called “The Way it Was” about his times as a young Stockman youth in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia. It is an incredible story of the region’s history and Ray’s endurance and tenacity as a Stockman – a man made of steel.

It is is always an honor to be re-invited to teach at the annual Albany Summer School.

This year I returned for a third time to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of one of Australia’s longest running Summer School Events.

Once again my class was fully booked with a team of 12 talented and enthusiastic students – all at different levels of oil painting experience. Together we mastered the art of painting in oils and enjoyed a fun week of creative learning with lots of laughs and amazing results.

Thank you to my fabulous team of artistic students, some of whom have joined me each year and become friends during their artistic journeys.

Once again I was overwhelmed by everyone’s enthusiasm and very proud of your spectacular results.

Huge congratulations to each of you.

My oil painting of a female Gang-gang Cockatoo called “Cherry Ripe” received an Award of Excellence at Australia’s preeminent bird art competition the Holmes Prize for Realistic Australian Bird Art 2022.

Just to be chosen as one of the 35 competition finalist is a major achievement. To receive an Award of Excellence amongst Australia’s leading bird artists is a great honour and very validating.

“Cherry Ripe” took nearly 7 weeks to paint in oils. She was painted specifically as my entry in this competition.

I have to send a huge thank you to my photographer friend Perry Cho who graciously allowed use of his photo as a reference for my interpretation.

“Swoop” – Wins his second international Award.

He has been awarded Hon. Mention in the Traditional category of USA based Fusion Art – 4th Into the Wild Art Exhibition. This is a jury judged competition and the second international award this painting has received. “Swoop” has previously been jury judged “Best Painting in Show” by US based Camelback Galleries.

“Swoop” has also featured on the front page of a European art magazine.

Thank you “Swoop” and Muneer Al Shanti for allowing use of his image used as inspiration for this oil painting.