Exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum by the Australian Society of Marine Artists
I chose these 3 paintings to display in the exhibition by the Australian Society of Marine Artists in the Tasman Light Room at the Australian National Maritime Museum.The exhibition was part of the 2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival from Friday 12th October - Wednesday 17th October 2012.
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| "Demolition of Wharf 6/7, Walsh Bay Wharves” 2001 oil on canvas 61 x 102cm |
I had painted the demolition of the almost derelict structures of Wharf 6/7, Walsh Bay Wharves from the interior of Wharf 8/9 in 2001. This wharf was later replaced by apartments designed to imitate the genuine wharves.
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"The last call of the ‘Tampa’ ” 2007 oil on canvas 31 x 103cm |
I had been “Artist in Residence” at the Hungry Mile during its last days of port operations.The notorious “Tampa” was the last Ro-ro ( roll on roll off car ship) to berth at the Hungry Mile wharves, now known as “Barangaroo” in late October 2007, marking the effective end of Sydney as a working harbour.
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I had painted the entire saga of ex HMAS Adelaide from her arrival at Glebe Island Wharf in September 2009 to her scuttling off the Central Coast on Wednesday April 13th 2011.
Her interior was stripped to prepare for her reinvention as a dive wreck but this was stopped at literally the last minute by a controversial court case. The ship had to undergo more stringent preparations for another year, until the dawn of April 11th 2011 when she made her last journey to her final resting spot off North Avoca.
Her interior was stripped to prepare for her reinvention as a dive wreck but this was stopped at literally the last minute by a controversial court case. The ship had to undergo more stringent preparations for another year, until the dawn of April 11th 2011 when she made her last journey to her final resting spot off North Avoca.
Artist in Residence at the Australian National Maritime Museum
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| Painting the 'Krait' at the 2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival Australian National Maritime Museum. Oil on canvas 28 x 36cm |
I also spent Saturday 13th October and Sunday 14th October next to HMAS Vampire as Artist in Residence giving a demonstration of plein
air painting.
In this photo I am starting a small canvas of the 1934 fishing trawler, Krait, which led a heroic double life during World War II.
In this photo I am starting a small canvas of the 1934 fishing trawler, Krait, which led a heroic double life during World War II.
In
1941, Krait was used to evacuate people from Singapore to Sumatra during the Japanese
advance. Perfectly
disguised as a local fishing vessel, in the 1943 Operation Jaywick she was boldly sailed into
Japanese-occupied waters with a team of Z Special Unit commandos whose
mines blew up and severely damaged 7 enemy ships in Singapore
harbour.
After the war, Krait worked in the Borneo timber trade, until two Australians on a business trip recognized her in 1962. Krait then returned to Australia to a hero's welcome, a testament to Australian sacrifice during war.
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Painting the 'Winnie Too' at the 2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival Australian National Maritime Museum. Oil on canvas 51 x 61cm
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Later in the day, as a contrast to the stark black hull of Krait, I painted Winnie Too one of the dozens of charming smaller wooden boats on display.
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| My outdoor exhibition at the 2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival Australian National Maritime Museum. |
As there was a handy awning to protect them from the wind and sun I was able to present an outdoor display of some of my other canvases of vessels from the Sydney Heritage Fleet and the Australian National Maritime Museum. The canvases on the easel are of the tall ships James Craig and HMV Endeavour, and the light ship Carpentaria. The smaller works hung from the railings are some of my early Pyrmont paintings, which date from the era before the building of the Australian National Maritime Museum.
