Works are now in situ at POP Art Gallery waiting for the
party tomorrow night. Adelaide, Will, Cameron and I have spent the last few
hours transforming the upstairs room into a gallery as part of the Manly Arts
Festival and it looks very cosy.
When I was invited to be a part of the Manly Art Festival in the Hemingway’s venue, I felt it was the perfect opportunity for a tribute to The Old Man and the Sea. I read Hemingway's exquisite tale a little over a year ago. I knew it had a
celebrated reputation as an epic tale… and as such, feared that it might take
an epic effort to read. This is far from the truth. It is not a long story
although it is an epic one. And it is not an ‘action packed’ adventure although
it is packed with adventure… and action. It is quietly paced and reflective
although it roars and rocks and reaches to the edges of humanity the extremes
of nature. When people ask me what my influences are I often cite literature and music and this is why.The story is everything that I hope to achieve in painting.
Come along tomorrow night at 6pm and see these works plus
some extraordinary and beautiful paintings by Adelaide Slater and Will Birkett and Mia
Taninaka. There will be live music by James Willing and Tavoi. The bar is
serving cocktails and the kitchen is open until 10pm – serving the most
incredible food – the chicken nuggets (that’s right) are out of this world.
