Hochgurtel Fountain at the Royal Exhibition Buildings

 

Whilst I'm not disappointed with this painting, it's hardly the high water mark.

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Eggplant with cream milk jug

 

I'm unsure of what it is that eggs me on, but I can't keep from milking the same old jokes.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Dahlia Flower in Glass Vase

 

I considered painting multiple flowers, but thought it best to take one dahlia at a time.

Oil on canvas board, 12" x 16"

Pullman Hotel from Fitzroy Gardens

 

The hotel in the distance lodged into view.

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

P.S. This was painted as part of a most enjoyable workshop with Robert Kelly, organised through the Victorian Artists' Society.

Copy: Percy Leason Self Portrait

 

This is a copy of a Percy Leason self portrait -- from the collection of the Castlemaine Art Museum -- that I painted as a class exercise.  It was cut into eight sections, with students given the task of painting one section each, upside down, in an effort to disguise the final picture.  At the end of class, each section was brought together to form the whole.

You could say this gave the picture a new Leason life.

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

Pears with Kerosene Lamp

 

Things got a bit fruity in the red light district

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20" 

Vintage Fan

 

At the beginning this painting was a breeze, but the complexity of the subject soon became tedious.  I must admit, when it comes to complexity like this, I'm not a fan.

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

The Cascades, Metcalfe

 

When I was driving towards this body of water, I knew I was heading for a fall.

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Cow Skull

 

Memento moo-ri

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

Still Life with Tea Towel and Gooseneck Jug

 

Towel puns are a particularly dry form of humour.

Oil on canvas board, 20" x 24"

P.S. Incidentally, this is the largest painting I've done for over three decades (32 years ago I did one over four times the size -- I might have to work back up to that).

Rose Study

 

Unfortunately I had a limited period to paint this subject -- if time had allowed more rose, perhaps I wouldn't feel so morose.

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Skull Study

 

This painting started life (pun intended, of course) as a student demo.  As morbid as the subject may be, it's a great way to work on painting skulls.

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Talbots Lane, Taradale

 

Talbots Lane works a bit like an "I am human" checkbox -- it's used to tell bots from humans.

Oil on canvas board, 12" x 16"

Pears with Antique Whisky Bottle

 

Gird your loins and pre-pear for bottle!

Oil on canvas board, 12" x 16"

Windmill Farm, Near Kyneton

 

The mental game of realist painting always involves a certain amount of tilting at windmills

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Bone Handle Knife with Lemons and Biscuit Barrel

 

It was difficult to name this piece because, visually, it has a number of competing priorities: will the viewer buy a lemon, stare down a barrel or pick a bone-handle knife?

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

Pears with Earthenware Jug

 

Pairing pears with moonshine

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

Still Life with Old Books

 

Including books in a still life painting is hardly a novel idea; or is it?

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

Off Blackhill Road, Kyneton

 

Paint it black (hill road)

Oil on canvas board, 12" x 16"

Vintage Mannequin in the Studio

 

The one-armed man-nequin

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"