200 year old gum

On the Plenty River Trail behind the Viewbank silos, there's this ancient tree crawling its way into the morning air.

Detail.


The path is on the ridge that comes up from the Plenty River, on the bank opposite Rosanna golf course. The ground slopes away sharply from the trail, so the tree almost looks like it's leaning away from the slope.

The trail is popular in the mornings with cyclists, joggers, or people just out for a stroll with the dog. One older gentleman stopped to chat. He wanted me to know that he has spoken to an arborist who was assessing the tree for the local council. He has estimated that the tree was over 200 years old.

Price park, Viewbank

Seems like there's a few of these fallen logs lying around in parks near my place. They almost look like they're alive:



Long fallen, 15x30in


Some process images:















And here's one I started earlier and gave up on:

NSW coast holiday

Another trip up to sunny Hawks Nest. I began these paintings on site and continued them later in the studio. I've included some process shots. Hope you like them.

Patchy sunlight. 12x16in.







After the Rain. 12x16in.

Boats on the Shore. 12x16in.

 

Portrait of Freya

Here's my daughter in a happy mood! I based the painting on a photo I took a couple of months ago. Oils on canvas.

20x30 inch canvas.

Monster paintings July 2015

This top painting was picked up in an op-shop on holidays on the NSW central coast last year. It looks like a kind of idyllic Islander scene, so I figured some tranquil Brontosaur and Brachiosaurus would fit.

Oil on board, 33x20". Available.

It was surprising to find an image of this size and quality in my local op shop, but I thought it was a little too symmetrical to leave it alone. It's the Melbourne Exhibition building. Oil on masonite board 35x19". Available.

Here's a small sketch I made before painting:

Avant Card artist of the month!

I had my image 'Dinosaur Roar' accepted by Avant Card to be their feature postcard this month. Here's the header they put on their display racks in cafes and theatres:

I had a few people report that they spotted one, but I haven't seen them around yet. However, I do have a ton of postcards they sent me. Let me know if you want one!

River Gum Walk

January, 2015.
This painting is based on a photo of my son walking past the massive gum out the back of our place, on his way to school. The grass was very dry but the yellow works well with the blue of the sky. 3x2 feet.

New monster paintings

I had a little break from these but I enjoyed making them so much, I thought I'd make some more! I keep getting asked when I'm going to put creatures in my own landscapes, though.

War of the Worlds, 20x18". Available.

Charging Neushoorn, 21x30". Available.

I was inspired by Peter Jackson's Oliphants in the Lord of the Rings films. But these are rhinos. Totally different.

Oils Oct-Dec 2014

It's been fantastic getting back into landscape painting these past few months. More recently I've been starting the painting on location and doing more of the work in the studio at home.





Heidelberg Park, 3x2 feet. Available.
Looking over Burgundy St towards the historical society building.

Rosanna Convent. 16x12" Available.

View from Banyule Rd. 23x20" Available.

Warringal swamp. 17x23" Available.





Banyule oval. 30x20" Available.

Here's a comic I made after painting this one:

NSW Holidays September, 2014

Painting in Tea gardens, on Nelsen Bay.




WARNING Submarine cable, 14x11". Available.




Hawks Nest bridge, 16x12". Available.


This one of the boats I'm still working on. Since every time I set up on location it started raining on me!



Tea Gardens docks, 16x12"

Oil paintings April 2014

A portrait of my 3yo wearing his hand-made woolen pants. He dubbed them 'Monster pants.' 20x24"






By Salt creek, on Beverly Dve, looking towards Heidelberg park, 18x24". Available.

Thought I had a nice quiet spot until the ANZAC day parade came right past:

Painting with the Sketch Melbourne En Plein Air group, down at the Fairfield boathouse on a cloudy day.

Looking east from the top of a lonely hill, very early in the morning. Over Plenty River Heidelberg.
14x10". Available.

 Another smallish one, a large old tilting gum out the back of our place in Heidelberg, along the aptly named River Gum walk. The kids came out to see the work in progress:

Monsters on op-shop landscapes

The title says it all! I saw someone doing this but it was years ago and I have no idea who it was. More to come.

Dinosaur Roar. 27x18" Original by Mr. Fields.
The idea for this is courtesy of Mr. Brad Thompson.

Duck vs Dragon 17x13".
OK, so this one's not a landscape but it's still a genuine op-shop painting. With June Morris. Available.

Bushmech.  12x18". Original by Don Brown. Available.

Colossus. With Roma Hall. 20x16". Available.




Monster likes mutton. With Robert S Anderson. 18x14". Available.




Swamp monster! 25x18", and the original, in all it's 1970 colour-sceme-glory.