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 tondo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tondo. Show all posts

Thursday 24 August 2017

Nocturne - painting Locomotive 3642 steaming

plein air nocturne oil painting of steam locomotive 3642 steaming outside the Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh Railway Workshops by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
3642 steaming at night from the Large
 2017 oil on canvas tondo 31 x 31cm


'3642 steaming at night from the
 Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh Railway Workshops'
 2017 oil on canvas 15 x 31cm


'Carriage and windows, night,
Large Erecting Shop'

2017 oil on canvas 25 x 20cm
Available

On Thursday 20th July the heritage steam locomotive 3642 made a brief nocturnal visit to the Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh Railway Workshops.
Despite the biting cold and sharp gusts of wind, I managed to paint 2 small oil studies of 3642 steaming outside the shed at night, as well as an interior of the Large Erecting Shop, before my fingers finally became too numb to hold a brush.
plein air nocturne oil painting of steam locomotive 3642 steaming outside the Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh Railway Workshops by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
'3642 steaming at night from the Large Erecting Shop,
Eveleigh Railway Workshops'
2017 oil on canvas 15 x 31cm

Available 
3642 was making this brief pit-stop at Eveleigh, before a historic journey to celebrate 150 years since the first regular passenger train travelled from Penrith to Weatherboard (known today as Wentworth Falls).
plein air nocturne oil painting of steam locomotive 3642 steaming outside the Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh Railway Workshops by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
















plein air nocturne oil painting of steam locomotive 3642 steaming outside the Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh Railway Workshops by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
'3642 steaming at night from the Large'
2017 oil on canvas 31 x 31cm



















3642 was built for the New South Wales Government Railways in 1926 by Clyde Engineering and hauled passenger trains throughout NSW.
Originally painted black, it was painted green in the mid-1930s, but repainted black at the start of World War II.
It was withdrawn from operational service in September 1969, and moved to the NSW Rail Transport Museum until cracking was discovered in its firebox in 1973.
3642 was sent to Goulburn Roundhouse in 1979 to be overhauled and returned to service in November 1981.
In December 1994, 3642 was again withdrawn from service when the rear driving axle failed an ultrasonic test, and became a static exhibit at Thirlmere until restoration work began in 2006.
It returned to service in March 2008 and by the end of the year, the engine was yet again repainted green.

In July 2011, it was taken out of service for an overhaul before returning to service in April 2012.
plein air nocturne oil painting of steam locomotive 3642 steaming outside the Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh Railway Workshops by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
'3642 steaming at night from the Large'
2017 oil on canvas 31 x 31cm
Available

My first small oil study was a straightforward rendering of the locomotive, but I had also brought a small tondo (circular canvas) to experiment with a different sort of composition.
I used the huge and very sturdy doors of the shed to frame the steaming locomotive, and the tracks snake their way directly towards the viewer.
The night lights turned the steam into puffs of iridescent blue, mauve and rose. 
More paintings of Eveleigh Railway Workshops at my Eveleigh page in this blog

Saturday 20 May 2017

Steady rest

I've been painting the machinery in the William Wallbank and Sons ex- foundry in Auburn, before it is all stripped out and sent to a scrap metal yard.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress -
AWW8 'Boys toys -Steady rest 1'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 


























I've been painting a series of still life studies on salvaged "press plates".
These leftover circles of mild steel were found lying on the machine shop floor, and were being gathered up to be thrown away.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
AWW8 'Boys toys -Steady rest 1'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 

























It was fascinating painting the relics of industry on salvaged objects that were part of the waste product from that industry.
The lustre of the smooth metallic surface shows through every brushstroke, reproducing every sparkle, shine and glimmer of the knobs and finials.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress - AWW11
'Boys toys -Steady rest 2'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available



















Although the William Wallbank foundry dated from 1932, some of the machinery was much older. I found a nameplate on one from "Russia", which meant that it must have dated from before the Soviet era, and probably from before World War I.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
AWW11 'Boys toys -Steady rest 2'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 

























The steady rest on a lathe, has a frame and 3 adjustable jaws to support a workpiece such as an axle or a shaft while it is being turned, milled or drilled.
It prevents slender, flexible pieces springing back and forth, and also allows deep cuts, drilling, boring, or internal threading.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress on the easel -
AWW10 'Boys toys -Boring machine'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 



























The over arm with the top jaw can be unfastened and swung out of the way so that pieces can be removed and replaced without needing to adjust the jaws.
There should be 0.001 inch clearance between the jaws and the workpiece.
The bearing surface is usually machined directly on the work.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
AWW10 'Boys toys -Boring machine'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 

























When the work is too small or awkwardly shaped to machine the bearing surface, a 'cathead' can provide the bearing surface.
The cathead has a bearing that is surfaced, a hole through which the work extends, and adjusting screws to fasten the cathead to the work.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress on the easel -
AWW9 'Boys toys -Control'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 



















When it isn't possible to hold the work in the chuck, one end can be supported by the headstock centre and the other by the steady rest.
A leather strap or rawhide thong is used to tie the work to the driveplate and to prevent it from moving off the headstock centre.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress on the easel -
AWW9 'Boys toys -Control'
oil on steel press plate tondo
16 x 16cm 2017
Available 




















After the locking screws on the adjustable jaws are tightened, the bearing surface needs lubrication with heavy oil before turning on the lathe.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress on the easel -
AWW9 'Boys toys -Control'
oil on steel press plate tondo
16 x 16cm 2017
Available 




















The bearing surface and adjustable jaws always need a heavy oil film between them, as when the workpiece heats up it will expand, closing the distance between it and the jaws.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
AWW9 'Boys toys -Control' 2017
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm
Available


Related posts

Power Base - Artist in Residence at the White Bay Power Station

 

Wednesday 13 February 2013

Painting the 'Poolya' at Glebe Island

This was the 60 year old work boat known as the Crane Lighter 'Poolya', up on stumps, waiting forlornly at Glebe Island Wharf.


plein air oil painting of the 'Poolya' work boat at Glebe Island by artist Jane Bennett
Starting my canvas of
"The 'Poolya' at Glebe Island waiting to be broken up"
2013 oil on canvas 31 x 61cm
Enquiries about this painting
Despite being added to the State’s Heritage Register in March 2009 by the then Ports and Waterways Minister Joe Tripodi, here the “Poolya” is waiting to be broken up.
plein air oil painting of the 'Poolya' work boat at Glebe Island by artist Jane Bennett
Starting my canvas of
"The 'Poolya' at Glebe Island waiting to be broken up"
 2013 oil on canvas 31 x 61cm 

The 'Poolya', formerly known as the 'Kahibah', was built in 1949.
For a long time she was based at Goat Island.
plein air oil painting of the 'Poolya' work boat at Glebe Island by artist Jane Bennett
Starting my canvas of
"The 'Poolya' at Glebe Island waiting to be broken up"
 2013 oil on canvas 31 x 61cm 
Enquiries about this painting



















She was one of the vessels deployed to recover oil with her brush skimmer from the notorious 'Laura d'Amato' spill at Gore Cove on Wednesday 4th August 1999.
plein air oil painting of the 'Poolya' work boat at Glebe Island by artist Jane Bennett
Half finished canvas of
"The 'Poolya' at Glebe Island waiting to be broken up"
 2013 oil on canvas 31 x 61cm 
Enquiries about this painting



















I had been painting the renovation of the Walsh Bay Fingerwharves at the time of the Laura d'Amato incident. The smell of the spilt oil was utterly indescribable! I couldn't cope with the fumes and it was one of the few times that I had to go home without finishing my painting. I don't know how the men on board managed to handle it.
plein air oil painting of the 'Poolya' work boat at Glebe Island by artist Jane Bennett
Half finished canvas of
"The 'Poolya' at Glebe Island waiting to be broken up"
 2013 oil on canvas 31 x 61cm 
Enquiries about this painting



















Until 2012 the 'Poolya' was on standby at Moore's Wharf. 
When she was taken out of service with Sydney Ports Corporation the 'Poolya' was then given to the Sydney Heritage Fleet, who had originally intended to preserve her.
However the "Poolya" is a timber vessel, and all timber vessels are a lot of work. Eventually they get to the stage of requiring significant repair to keep them serviceable. This can rapidly spiral out of control. The 'Poolya', despite being regarded with great affection by the workers from Sydney Ports and the Sydney Heritage Fleet, had become commercially uneconomic.
plein air oil painting of the 'Poolya' work boat at Glebe Island by artist Jane Bennett
Half finished canvas of
"The 'Poolya' at Glebe Island waiting to be broken up"
 2013 oil on canvas 31 x 61cm 

Enquiries about this painting
Sydney Ports Corporation have replaced her with a steel hulled vessel of a similar design concept, the 'Manns Point'.
plein air oil painting of the 'Poolya' work boat at Glebe Island by artist Jane Bennett
The finished canvas of
"The 'Poolya' at Glebe Island waiting to be broken up"
 2013 oil on canvas 31 x 61cm 

Enquiries about this painting
I was given the heads up by a couple of people at Sydney Ports who had a sentimental attachment to the 'Poolya'.
I arrived at the Glebe Island Operations Centre on Monday about noon and had this medium size canvas finished by the time the blokes wanted to knock off at 5.30pm.
plein air oil painting of the 'Poolya' work boat near the Sydney Harbour Bridge by artist Jane Bennett
'Poolya' from Moore's Wharf'
2013 oil on canvas 12 x 12cm
Enquiries about similar paintings
Sold
PRIVATE COLLECTION : SYDNEY
I had painted a couple of small canvases of the 'Poolya' in her glory days while she was still operational. A few of these were painted from my loft on the top floor of Sydney Ports Corporation's Emergency Response Headquarters at Moore's Wharf. These canvases usually have a spectacular view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as well as the historic workboat.
Some of my paintings were in the "tondo" format. A tondo is a canvas stretched over a round or oval stretcher frame.
Some of the Sydney Ports Corporation wharfies would jokingly ask me "When will you be painting another pizza, Jane ?"
plein air oil painting of the 'Poolya' work boat near the Sydney Harbour Bridge by artist Jane Bennett
 'Poolya' from Moore's Wharf'
2013 oil on canvas 31 x 31cm
SOLD

PRIVATE COLLECTION : SYDNEY
Enquiries about similar paintings
When the 'Poolya' was broken up, a couple of contractors managed to souvenir the portholes.
So these 2 'Poolya' tondos ended up being framed behind these portholes and are now cherished trophies in some canny collector's living room.

Related posts

Storm warning, Goat Island (barangarooartist.blogspot.com)