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

My photo
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.
Showing posts with label ship repair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ship repair. Show all posts

Thursday 20 June 2013

Painters and dockers - Artist in Residence on the tall ship 'James Craig' Part 2


Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Starting my plein air painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock"
I had originally stored my paints, brushes, canvases, table, chair and easel in the deckhouse of the James Craig, but I realised that the ritual of unlocking and sorting through all my stuff wasted too much time. Now I keep the half-finished canvases on the 'tween deck of the James Craig, and leave the table and easel in a corner on the floor of the dry dock.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
unfinished plein air painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock"

It's quite a hike down from the ship to the floor of the dry dock.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
unfinished plein air painting of "Painters with 'James Craig '
in Garden Island dry dock"

I choose a position where the ship looms toward me between the walls of the dry dock.
Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Unfinished plein air painting of "Painters with 'James Craig '
in Garden Island dry dock"

I try to make sure that I have enough room for the mast, rigging and the dockyard crane overhead.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm

I knew that it would be overcast and so prepared a few canvases with a black imprimatura (underpainting). I find that this gives the clouds a more 3 dimensional quality.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Artist Jane Bennett with her unfinished plein air painting
of 'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available

Portrait of the artist in full PPE (personal protective equipment) regalia.


Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Artist Jane Bennett with her unfinished plein air painting
of 'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available

Hard hat, hi res jacket, tinted safety glasses, earmuffs and metal capped boots.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available

There is another tall ship, the HMB Endeavour, in the dry dock, but I can't get too close to her as she is being sandblasted back to her original wood and can barely be seen in the dust haze.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available

The dark bulk of the 'James Craig' stands out dramatically in front of the threatening clouds.


Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available

I was worried that it was going to rain. It's risky starting such a large canvas as it takes so many trips back up to the top. The dockyard steps are narrow and a wet canvas has to be carried on its own without other luggage.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett.
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
Suddenly I realized that I wasn't the only painter on the dock floor, as 2 white clad men started to haphazardly spray patches of red on the prow of James Craig.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available  

They cheekily "offer" to pose for me. They don't actually mean it, but I paint them in anyway.
Their figures provide a useful gauge to judge scale. This painterly device is known as "staffage" - the size of the figures can be compared and contrasted with the size of the ship
Tim Drinkwater, the dockyard manager of the Sydney Heritage Fleet, told me that the painters would only be there for 8 minutes, but that was long enough for me to block in the basic shapes.
The painters came up later to take photos of my painting of them.
They will be back to finish their painting on Tuesday.
I like the patchy 'work in progress' look of the hull, so I'll try to finish my painting before theirs.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available 
This canvas is in a 'portrait' format - vertical rather than the more usual horizontal one, which is unusual for a painting of a ship.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available 

I wanted the ship to dominate the canvas and used the extreme perspective to make it feel as though it is towering over the onlooker, and the prow almost poke you in the eye.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available 

I am quite short, so I have to fold the legs of the easel up and set it on the ground as I'm not tall enough to paint the masts and rigging with it in the ordinary position.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
Available 

At least this way it won't fall over in the wind.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of 'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available 
They keep moving the dockyard crane. Any further to the left and it will be out of the picture. I can only just manage to squeeze it in without it looking too cramped.


Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock" 2013
oil on canvas 75 x 100cm
Available 

I like the final position of the crane, though, as it won't be obscured by the masts and rigging. It gives the composition a little more drama, as it looks as though it could topple into the dock with a gust of wind.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock"
2013 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm
Available 

The end of my first full day painting on the floor of the dry dock - time to lug my easel, paint, chair, paints, brushes and large wet canvases all the way up the stairs of the dock and across the gangplank to my studio on the 'tweendeck of the James Craig. It's a long way up and takes several trips so I won't need to join a gym anytime soon.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My studio on the 'tween deck of the 'James Craig'
World's coolest studio!
 
Available

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm

Available






Plein air oil painting of tall ships James Craig and HMB Endeavour in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
'James Craig and HMB Endeavour in drydock 2'
2013 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm
Available


 
































Related posts

Australia Day 2011 at Darling Harbour Part 1: Endeavour

Wednesday 5 June 2013

Artist in Residence on the tall ship James Craig Part 1- Sailing to Garden Island

I packed before dawn so that I could hitch a ride with Sydney Heritage Fleet's Tall Ship James Craig on its way from its usual berth at Wharf 7, Pyrmont to the dry dock at Garden Island.
Plein air small gouache study of the Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug 'Bronzewing' alongside the 'James Craig'  painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My small gouache study of the
Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug
'Bronzewing' alongside the 'James Craig'
Available

I painted a few small, quick gouache studies of the tall ship and tug on board, just to warm my hands up.

Plein air small gouache study of the Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug 'Bronzewing' alongside the 'James Craig'  painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My small gouache study of the
Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug
'Bronzewing' alongside the 'James Craig'
Available

I will be 'Artist in Residence' at the Garden Island dry dock painting two tall ships, the 'HMB Endeavour' replica and the 'James Craig'.
They will be getting their undersides ship shape in preparation for the International Fleet Review in October.

Plein air small gouache study of the Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug 'Bronzewing' alongside the 'James Craig'  painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My small gouache study of the
Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug 'Bronzewing'
alongside the 'James Craig'
Available

I have stashed my easel, paints, brushes and lots of spare canvases in the deckhouse of the 'James Craig' which will be my studio until its departure from Garden Island on or about 15th June.


Related posts

Artist in Residence at the Sydney Heritage Fleet Part 6 - 'Hail, hail, the gang's all here!'
Painting the Spirit of Tasmania in Garden Island Drydock
Painters and dockers - Artist in Residence on the tall ship 'James Craig' Part 2

Sunday 24 March 2013

Boat at Goat

The Shirley Smith is now on the slipway on the western side of Goat Island.
The last few canvases that I have completed at Moore's Wharf have  Goat Island as their main subject.
The eastern side of the Island which faces Moore's Wharf, features the old amenities block, which was once the site of the iconic TV series "Water Rats", and the heritage cottages which once housed the headquarters of the Harbour Master.
The western side of Goat Island still has an operating shipyard, one of the last vestiges of Sydney's rich heritage as a working harbour.
The only hint of this on the eastern side is the barely visible tip of the crane poking out from the treetops.
plein air oil painting of Sydney Ports tug 'Shirley Smith' on slipway of Goat Island by artist Jane Bennett
Starting a small oil sketch of the
"Shirley Smith" on the Goat Island slipway, 
oil on canvas 13 x 18cm
Enquiries about this painting




















Several years ago I managed to paint on Goat Island, but it was difficult to arrange access there, and even more importantly, back.
It's a long swim to shore.
I have longed to return to paint on Goat Island, and last week I finally got my wish.
I hitched a ride on the "Mann's Point", courtesy of Sydney Ports Corporation, and painted 2 tiny oil sketches.
plein air oil painting of Sydney Ports tug 'Shirley Smith' on slipway of Goat Island by artist Jane Bennett
Starting a small oil sketch of the
"Shirley Smith" on the Goat Island slipway
oil on canvas 13 x 18cm




















I had a great vantage point as I was sitting on a jetty directly opposite.
plein air oil painting of Sydney Ports tug 'Shirley Smith' on slipway of Goat Island by artist Jane Bennett
My first small oil sketch of the "Shirley Smith" on the Goat Island slipway, oil on canvas 13 x 18cm 
Next time, I must take some larger canvases, as I would like to include the crane.
I might not get the opportunity to return until the end of this week as there have been so many commitments and distractions.
My solo exhibition continues until the end of the month. Once the paintings had been hung, and the official opening was over,  I  had to organize a panel discussion and an artist's talk.
plein air oil painting of Sydney Ports tug 'Shirley Smith' on slipway of Goat Island by artist Jane Bennett
Another view of my small oil sketch of the
"Shirley Smith" on the Goat Island slipway,
oil on canvas 13 x 18cm
Enquiries about this painting




















I have left one of my French box easels on Goat Island, to make it easier for me to return with larger canvases.
The people at the shipyard have been wonderful. They are so friendly and easygoing, and have so much passion for the unique maritime heritage of Goat Island.
plein air oil painting of Sydney Ports tug 'Shirley Smith' on slipway of Goat Island by artist Jane Bennett
Starting my second small oil sketch of the
"Shirley Smith" on the Goat Island slipway,
oil on canvas 15 x 31cm




















Painting on the island is an inspiring experience, but the trouble is that if I have left something behind, I have to do without until next time.
It can be awkward to take equipment there, and even more awkward to take it back.
I tried to take the bare minimum of stuff in my trolley luggage, but even so I needed help to lug my easel from the boat to the ramp.
plein air oil painting of Sydney Ports tug 'Shirley Smith' on slipway of Goat Island by artist Jane Bennett
My 2nd small oil sketch of the "Shirley Smith"
on the Goat Island slipway 
oil on canvas 15 x 31cm
My return journey to Moore's Wharf was with the apprentice boat repairers,  in a much smaller boat.
They were keen to get home, so it was a fast and bumpy Harbour cruise. 
It was made even more exciting by having to juggle two small wet canvases and make sure that they didn't fall in the water.

Monday 24 September 2012

Artist in Residence at the Sydney Heritage Fleet- Part 5 ' Follow the Fleet'

My first attempt to paint the entire Rozelle contingent of the Sydney Heritage Fleet ended in disaster when my canvas stretcher snapped in two.
I was better prepared for my second attempt, with a bigger easel, stronger canvas stretcher, more ballast and longer cable ties.
Armed with a canvas stretched on the strongest and heaviest stretcher frame I could buy, this time I took my "studio" easel. It might be called a studio easel but I can manage to stuff it in the back of the car and use it for plein air painting.
I brought the longest cable ties that I could find to tie the canvas to the easel, and the easel to my trolley luggage, which I am using as an anchor.
The canvas stretcher weighs about 10 kilos; my large easel weighs at least 15 kilos and the trolley luggage with all its contents of extra paint, brushes, palettes, turps, painting medium, sketchbooks, lunch, thermos of water, folding table, first aid kit, spare clothes, hat and boots weighs in at a good 25 kilos. I also took the French box easel, just in case. It took 4 trips to lug this stuff the 200 metres from the car to my painting site, and 5 to lug it back, as a wet canvas has to be handled on its own.
If all of that starts to be blown around in the wind and into the water it really is time to wimp out and go home.
I'll never need to join a gym or a bootcamp. Who knows, large scale plein air painting could become the latest fitness craze!

plein air painting of the Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My plein air painting of the
"Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay"
2012 oil on canvas 122 x 183cm
Available

It isn't immediately apparent which bits belong to which vessels.
I tried hard to take a photo showing both the painting and all the ships in the same frame to show some of the difficulties.
Apart from the distance making details hard to see, there is a narrow window of opportunity to do any painting. I have to choose a day that has no more than the gentlest breeze, and has enough sun to throw some light on my subject. Even then, there are only a few hours of painting time between when the early morning haze lifts, and when the afternoon sun starts to dazzle my eyes.

plein air painting of the Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My plein air painting of the
"Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay"
2012 oil on canvas 122 x 183cm
Available

Photography doesn't really work, as a telephoto lens flattens and distorts the relationships between the vessels and the colours are highly misleading. There is such a mad jigsaw puzzle of funnels, prows, awnings and lifeboats all jumbled together. Bits that belong to one vessel can easily be mistaken as belonging to another .
For understanding the close up details, I find it better to visit the Rozelle shipyard and run my canvas past the gauntlet of all the volunteers who have devoted their lives to rescuing these ships. If I've made any truly embarrassing mistakes I can rely on them to correct me. Loudly, often and in great detail!

plein air painting of the Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My plein air painting of the
"Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay"
2012 oil on canvas 122 x 183cm
Available

In the centre of my painting, the 'Bronzewing' and 'Currawong', tugs recently acquired by the Sydney Heritage Fleet, are face to face like two old friends having a chinwag.
Crammed behind them, the funnel of the a coal-fired steam tug 'Waratah' juts out at a jaunty angle. 'Waratah' was built at Cockatoo Island in 1902.
After a lot of untangling. the steam tug 'Lady Hopetoun' appears shadowed in the background of the dilapidated hulk of the 100 year old ferry 'Kanangra'. The 'Kanangra' is another link with Cockatoo Island. I remember catching her in the morning when I was painting on Cockatoo island in the early 1980s. I think she was retired by about 1985.

plein air painting of the Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My plein air painting of the
"Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay"
2012 oil on canvas 122 x 183cm
Available

Beyond the 'Kanangra' are the runts of the litter, the 1908 motor launch 'Protex', the 1943 motor launch 'Harmon' and the 1955 motor launch 'Berrima'.

plein air painting of the Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My plein air painting of the
"Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay"
2012 oil on canvas 122 x 183cm
Available

To the right of the canvas is the graceful 1903 "gentleman's schooner", 'Boomerang', which I have just finished painting on the slipway at Noakes.

plein air painting of the Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half finished plein air painting of the
"Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay"
2012 oil on canvas 122 x 183cm
Available

All of these are dwarfed by the bulk of the 1927 steamship "John Oxley", currently being restored to its former glory.
plein air painting of the White Bay Power Station from Blackwattle Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half finished plein air painting of the
"White Bay Power Station from Blackwattle Bay"
2012 oil on canvas 41 x 51cm
Available

By 1pm the changes in the direction of the light had made it difficult to see any useful details on the ships.
It was still about an hour before the wind would change, so I started painting a small canvas of the silhouette of the White Bay Power Station.
I have frequently painted this beautifully brutal building, from the inside as well as the outside. However I have rarely painted it from Blackwattle Bay, so I'm making up for this oversight.
The wind whipped up about 2pm, so both canvases are going well, but still unfinished. Till next time.

Related posts

Artist in Residence at the Sydney Heritage Fleet Part 1
Artist in Residence at the Sydney Heritage Fleet Part 2 : The 'Lady Hopetoun'
Slipping away
Artist in Residence at the Sydney Heritage Fleet - Part 4 'Blowing in the wind'
'From the Hungry Mile to Barangaroo'
"Lashed to the Mast" - Plein Air painting as extreme sport
Painting the 'Poolya' at Glebe Island
Jane Bennett paints the 'Lady Hopetoun'
Exhibition SALT IN THE AIR 27 April - 3rd May 2013 (asma-artistinresidence.blogspot.com)
Boat at Goat (janebennettartist.blogspot.com)


Friday 14 September 2012

Artist in Residence at the Sydney Heritage Fleet Part 3 -'Slipping away'

Painting 'Boomerang' being slipped at Noakes
I was invited to join the volunteers who were working on the 'Boomerang' while it was slipped at the Noakes shipyard in Berry's Bay, North Sydney.
Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
On the little steam tug 'Harmon'
starting my painting of the 'Boomerang'
on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard, Berry's Bay
oil on canvas 46 x 46cm

I arrived at the Sydney Heritage Fleet shipyard at 8am so that I would be in time to join the volunteers on either the 'Harmon' or the 'Boomerang' to be ferried over the Harbour.
Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
On the little steam tug 'Harmon'
starting my painting of the 'Boomerang'
on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard,
Berry's Bay oil on canvas 46 x 46cm

I had a choice of catching either the 'Harmon' or the 'Boomerang'. Although the stately 'Boomerang' promised a stylish ride, I chose the 'Harmon' so that I could watch the drama of the 'Boomerang' being hauled ashore.
I started painting while still on board the 'Harmon', but she soon had to return to Rozelle, so I completed my painting on the jetty at the Noakes shipyard.
The 2 photos above show the first stage of my painting while on board the 'Harmon', with the 'Boomerang just visible in the background.
Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Starting my painting of the 'Boomerang'
on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard, Berry's Bay
oil on canvas 46 x 46cm
11.30am Monday 20th August

By 11.30am I was deposited ashore with my canvas and easel.
I had to make sure that my canvas would be finished by the time the volunteers knocked off at 2.30pm or I would have had to walk or swim back to my car at Rozelle! Noakes is in a little cove of Berry's Bay, which is west of the Waverton Peninsula and east of McMahons Point.
The deepwater frontages of Berry’s Bay were used by the port and maritime industry from the late 19th century.
Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Starting my painting of the 'Boomerang'
on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard, Berry's Bay
oil on canvas 46 x 46cm
11.30am Monday 20th August
Available

A Short History of Berry's Bay
During the 1930s the Berry's Bay waterfront was one of the most important boatbuilding sites in the harbour.

There was also a timber mill which provided the materials for the construction of North Sydney’s cottages and churches during the early decades of the 20th century.
Other important industries around the site during the early 20th century included the North Shore Gas Company which had shifted its productive gas works from Neutral Bay to Balls Head Bay in 1906 and the Sydney Coal Bunkering Company which began building a coal loader in 1917, to act as a steamship bunkering station. It was the most advanced means of loading coal into steamers then available in Sydney Harbour.
Coal from colliers was dumped onto a huge timber and rock platform on the shore. It was fed by gravity down shutes to four tunnels below, and then into waiting hopper cars which were then hauled by cable out to a long wharf.
Fortunately I painted and drew it before the coal loader ceased operating in October 1992. The wharf, coal-loading platform, tunnels and a few brick administrative buildings remain.
Opposite Noakes is the former site of the BP fuel depot. Their first tank was installed in 1923 and many more were added until there were 31 by the late 1960s. The cliff was known locally as "Gibraltar". BP ceased operations at the site in the 1980s and by the mid-1990s the tanks had been dismantled although their ghostly outlines are still visible in the cut rock.
Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
2nd stage of painting the 'Boomerang'
on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard, Berry's Bay
oil on canvas 46 x 46cm
1pm Monday 20th August
info@franceskeevilgallery.com.au

The Art and Times of Berry's Bay
Berry's Bay has a distinguished artistic heritage dating from the earliest days of the 20th century.
Some of Australia's best artists of that time lived locally and were attracted to the picturesque scenes of boat building and ship repair. Roland Wakelin, Rah Fizelle, Sydney Ure, Roy de Maistre, Lloyd Rees and brothers Percy and Lionel Lindsay, often painted together around Berry’s Bay between the 1900s and 1930s and were known as the "Northwood Group".
Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Completed painting of the 'Boomerang'
on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard, Berry's Bay
oil on canvas 46 x 46cm
2.30pm Monday 20th August
Note the railway in the background
Available

In the vast collection of Prints and Drawings of the Art Gallery of NSW is a lovely 1926 etching The Harbour from Berry's Bay by Sydney Long (1871 – 1955) which follows the glassy expanse of water down to the clutter of wooden ships, boathouses, yards and mills. Another evocative Whistleresque etching is Ship Berry’s Bay 1918
by Sydney Ure Smith.
Sydney Long later painted a lively little plein-air oil sketch Across Berry's Bay To The Sobraon 1939 from exactly the same viewpoint as Percy Lindsay's Shipyards, Berry Bay (also known as The Bridge Builders) c. 1927 (AGNSW). Both these works also shows the Sobraeon, a famous clipper ship later refitted as a naval training ship HMAS Tingira, that was moored there until being broken up in 1943.
In 1916 Wakelin painted Down the hills to Berry’s Bay (AGNSW), which has become an icon of early Australian Modernism. Another Roland Wakelin study, Berry's Bay 1919 shows an aerial view of the shipping, while later works such as Berry's Bay c.1934 shows details of ship repair and Berry's Bay c.1945 shows more of the industrial ambience.
In 1922 Lionel Lindsay created a mezzotint, A nook at Berry’s Bay of the boathouses along the foreshore, and in 1923 a etching of a venerable old figtree shading the shipyards The Great Figtree.
So while I painted here I was constantly aware that I was treading in the footsteps of the masters.

Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Starting painting of the 'Boomerang' on the slipway
at Noakes Shipyard, Berry's Bay
oil on canvas 38 x 78cm
8am Tuesday 21st August
Available

The next day I took the less scenic route to Noakes, driving there rather than taking the Harbour cruise option so that I could spend more time and paint a larger canvas.
Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
2nd day Tuesday 21st August 9.30am -
1st stage of painting the'’Boomerang’ at Noakes Yard 2 -
oil on canvas 38 x 76cm
Available

Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
2nd day Tuesday 21st August 11am -
2nd stage of painting the'’Boomerang’ at Noakes Yard 2
oil on canvas 38 x 76cm
Available

With this extra time I was able to include a couple of the volunteers as they worked.
As I was trying to complete this canvas on the day, I wasn't able to take too much time to explore this fascinating site, but I promised myself that I would be back. The staff at Noakes invited me to return to paint the giant travelling cranes, and the quaint cream and red heritage ferries of the Rosman fleet.

Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
2nd day Tuesday 21st August noon -
3rd stage of painting the'’Boomerang’ at Noakes Yard 2
oil on canvas 38 x 76cm
Available

The vessels of the Sydney Heritage Fleet are often repaired at Noakes. There are few other options available now as more and more waterfront has been gobbled up by developers for apartment blocks.

Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
2nd day Tuesday 21st August lunchtime break -3rd stage of painting the'’Boomerang’ at Noakes Yard 2 - oil on canvas 38 x 76cm
Available

I finished my canvas just in time to avoid being locked inside the gates. I was only able to include a few of the many volunteers who were tirelessly scampering up and down ladders with scrapers and hoses.
Plein air painting of the heritage schooner from the Sydney Heritage Fleet Boomerang on the slipway at Noakes Shipyard at Berry's Bay painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
2nd day Tuesday 21st August 5pm -
completed painting of the'’Boomerang’ at Noakes Yard 2
oil on canvas 38 x 76cm
Available
There used to be many ''working harbour'' boat repair businesses around Berry's Bay , but by now most of the slipways have "slipped away".
Now Noakes is the last of its tribe, and I am one of the last of a proud artistic lineage to paint the bustling boatyards of Berry's Bay.