| Diary Entries June 7, 2010 April 29, 2010 October 27, 2009 July 25, 2009 July 18, 2009 July 12, 2009 July 5, 2009 June 27, 2009 June 25, 2009 June 20, 2009 June 13, 2009 June 6, 2009 May 30, 2009 May 23, 2009 May 16, 2009 May 9, 2009 May 3, 2009 April 25, 2009 April 18, 2009 April 11, 2009 April 4, 2009 March 28, 2009 March 21, 2009 March 14, 2009 March 7, 2009 February 28, 2009 February 21, 2009 February 14, 2009 February 7, 2009 January 24, 2009 January 17, 2009 January 10, 2009 January 3, 2009 December 27, 2008 December 20, 2008 December 13, 2008 December 6, 2008 December 1, 2008 November 24, 2008 November 17, 2008 November 10, 2008 October 27, 2008 October 20, 2008 October 13, 2008 October 6, 2008 September 29, 2008 September 23, 2008 September 15, 2008 September 8, 2008 September 1, 2008 August 26, 2008 August 18, 2008 August 8, 2008 July 28, 2008 July 21, 2008 July 15, 2008 July 07, 2008 June 30, 2008 June 23, 2008 June 16, 2008 June 10, 2008 May 26, 2008 May 19, 2008 May 12, 2008 May 5, 2008 April 29, 2008 April 14, 2008 April 9, 2008 April 1, 2008 March 25, 2008 March 18, 2008 March 11, 2008 March 04, 2008 February 26, 2008 February 19, 2008 February 13, 2008 January 29, 2008 January 22, 2008 January 15, 2008 January 8, 2008 January 1, 2008 December 18, 2007 December 10, 2007 November 20, 2007 October 23, 2007 October 3, 2007 September 16, 2007 September 9, 2007 August 28, 2007 August 21, 2007 August 14, 2007 August 7, 2007 July 24, 2007 July 17, 2007 July 10, 2007 July 03, 2007 June 27, 2007 June 17, 2007 June 11, 2007 June 4, 2007 May 27, 2007 May 22, 2007 May 07, 2007 April 10, 2007 March 20, 2007 March 13, 2007 March 6, 2007 February 27, 2007 February 22, 2007 February 13, 2007 February 6, 2007 January 30, 2007 January 15, 2007 December 12, 2006 November 28, 2006 November 13, 2006 November 7, 2006 October 31, 2006 October 24, 2006 November, 2006 October 3, 2006 September 26, 2006 September 21, 2006 September 11, 2006 September 05, 2006 August 11, 2006 August 8, 2006 |
I had the great honour to be asked to sit as one of the two subjects, along with artist James Guppy, for this years FEHVA Portrait Prize. There are two $1000 prizes on offer and the winners will be announced at the FEHVA Festival opening and awards night at the A&I Hall Bangalow May 25. Among entertainment for that evening will be the Buttery Recovery Choir which recently made a sensational debut at the Blues and Roots Festival in Byron. I was happy to be involved as the FEHVA Festival raises funds for wonderful rehabilitation work done by The Buttery.
There were 25 artists gathered in the hall where I sat. Initially I answered questions and chatted so the artists could get some sense of "me." They took thousands of photos for reference and it's unnerving have a camera up close with someone muttering, 'just doing your ear." I sat still, staring into the middle distance for three hours with only a couple of ten minute breaks. I drifted off to some place else but my eyes, still recovering from an infection, didn't like it and watered profusely. The artists were a lovely group, very grounded and genuine although some were a bit "out there", but as I have artists in my family I understand that.
Along with the more mature artists, there were three students who were being mentored by Angus McDonald – an artist who has who has a portrait hanging in the current Archibald. One was Nell Pearson, who was at home for Easter, is on a scholarship at the famed Julian Ashton School in Sydney, another was Liam Van Dugteren who is a student from Lismore TAFE and the third was Charlotte Kippax from St John's Woodlawn.
While it was somewhat different, it took me back to 1992 when I sat for artist David Andrews who was a friend and student of my artist Uncle Ron Revitt. I loved David's work so when he asked if he could paint me for the Archibald Prize, I agreed. He wanted to do a black and white theme in the style of the Russian artist, Serov, so I borrowed his wife's black cocktail dress and killer shoes and we tried out poses for two hours until I fell into a chair and he said, "don't move!" So that's how I sat, every evening for 8 nights. David hung a man's dinner jacket on the back of the chair and called the painting "The Watcher." We were thrilled when it was chosen to be hung. And one of the trustees told us later we missed out winning the prize by just a whisker. My darling mum who also a good artist burst into tears when she saw the painting hung so prominently in the NSW Art Gallery.
I bought the painting but had nowhere to hang it, so it hung in the lobby of the Sydney Hilton Hotel for 9 years.
It now hangs behind our front door - only place it would fit.
Cheers
Di’s latest book The Islands, published by Pan Macmillan, is now on sale.
|
