Industrial Cathedral

Industrial Cathedral
"Industrial Cathedral" charcoal on paper 131 x 131 cm Jane Bennett. Finalist in 1998 Dobell Drawing Prize Art Gallery of NSW Finalist 1998 Blake Prize Winner 1998 Hunter's Hill Open Art Prize

About Me

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Sydney, NSW, Australia
I'm an Industrial Heritage Artist who paints "en plein air".If it's damaged, derelict, doomed and about to disappear, I'll be there to paint it.

Friday 2 December 2011

Painting the Tugboats of Sydney Harbour - the 'Wilga', 'Wonga' 'Woona' and 'Watagan'

Looking for suitable subject matter to paint for the Xmas exhibition at the Frances Keevil Gallery, I couldn't resist the tugs.
Now that there are fewer large ships coming in to Sydney Harbour, they are harder to spot.
Marine painting- plein air oil painting of tug in Sydney Harbour by marine artist Jane Bennett




















The best opportunities are when they escort the tankers in and out of Gore Cove, and when the cruise ships come in to Barangaroo. Peak cruise ship season is from October to the end of February, so this means a bumper crop of tugboat paintings.
Marine painting- plein air oil painting of tug in Sydney Harbour by marine artist Jane Bennett
'The 'Wonga' 2011 oil on board 28 x 35cm
Enquiries about similar paintings



















My studio at Moore's Wharf, opposite Walsh Bay Wharves on the right and Barangaroo to the left, offers good vantage points for tug spotting.
As well as painting from the wharf at ground level when the weather permits, I have studio space on the top floor in the 'loft', which gives me a 'bird's eye view'.
Marine painting- plein air oil painting of tug in Sydney Harbour by marine artist Jane Bennett
'The 'Wilga' 2011 oil on board 28 x 35cm
Enquiries about similar paintings
In this set of paintings, I have varied the viewpoint and the background - the paintings of the 'Wilga' and the 'Wonga' feature the tugs alone against the sea and are painted from the top floor of Moore's Wharf; the 'Woona' (which has recently been repainted in its new livery of Naples yellow and navy - it used to be white with a black hull) is painted in late afternoon against the spectacular backdrop of Goat Island; and the 'Watagan', one of the smaller tugs, is shown dwarfed by the giant white cruise ship it is escorting.
Marine painting- plein air oil painting of tug in Sydney Harbour by marine artist Jane Bennett
And a tugboat in action - 'Watagan' bringing the 'Pacific Dawn' into Barangaroo's temporary cruise ship terminal.
Sydney's new cruise ship terminal will be built at White Bay, as soon as the old White Bay Transit Shed has been demolished.
In the meantime, there are a motley collection of vessels berthed there for me to paint.  
Marine painting- plein air oil painting of tug in Sydney Harbour by marine artist Jane Bennett






















All the previous paintings are of Svitzer tugs and painted from around Moore's Wharf.
This is the odd one out in the series, as it was painted at White Bay, and was tied up rather than out on the water. I thought that it would be a good contrast.
I fell in love with the pale blue tug PB Endeavour, one of the Pacific Basin Tugs.
I was admiring it when it has been berthed at White Bay Berth 5, next to the 'Bob Barker - Sea Shepherd'.
The PB Endeavour was launched just over a year ago, and was a bargain at $9 million or so ! I wish! But as it falls a little bit outside my budget, I'll have to settle for painting it.

Marine painting- plein air oil painting of tug in Sydney Harbour by marine artist Jane Bennett
'The 'PB Endeavour' at White Bay 
2011 oil on board 28 x 35cm
Painted en plein air at White Bay Wharf, Berth 5

Sold
Marine painting- plein air oil painting of tug in Sydney Harbour by marine artist Jane Bennett
'The 'PB Endeavour' at White Bay 
2011 oil on board 28 x 35cm
Painted en plein air at White Bay Wharf, Berth 5
Sold
Marine painting- plein air oil painting of tug in Sydney Harbour by marine artist Jane Bennett
'The 'PB Endeavour' at White Bay 
2011 oil on board 28 x 35cm
Painted en plein air at White Bay Wharf, Berth 5

Sold

































































I'll display this set of little tugboat paintings in the Xmas show at Frances Keevil Gallery, opening on Saturday 10th December 2011

1 comment:

LCT for sale said...

Fascinating tugs!

I've loved tugboats because my father worked on the boats for so many years. I appreciate and enjoy what you're doing here. Please keep on posting. :)