A view from a Bridge

A reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.
Here are some behind the scenes photos of the preparation :

Workman preparing a reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge which is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

Workman preparing a reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge which is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

Here a workman adds some finishing touches before the Reading Room is open to the public.

I'm in front of a reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge which is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

I couldn't resist a sneak peek at the massive reproduction of my painting, so I crept down the stairs for a preview before the official opening!

I'm in front of a reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge which is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

I'm used to seeing a little bit of construction debris around my paintings!

I'm in front of a reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge which is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

The image has been enlarged to take up the entire wall behind the copying desk. It must be at least 3 times as large as the original canvas.
I wish I could have taken a canvas this large up to the top of the bridge, but I would have ended up hang- gliding all the way to New Zealand if I had!

State Librarian Alex Byrne opening the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

State Librarian Alex Byrne opened the doors to officially declare  new-look State Reference Library (SRL) OPEN at 9am this morning.

The Library staff wait expectantly for the doors to be opened.

I'm in front of a reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge which is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

I was so thrilled that a reproduction of my painting 'Closing the Gap' is now displayed in the new look Reading Room!

I'm in front of a reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge which is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

I'm in front of a reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge which is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

The 'cats whiskers' of the cables radiate out from the pylons like open arms welcoming the visitors.

I'm in front of a reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge which is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

I was amazed at the clarity of the image - how vibrant the ultramarine blue of the harbour appears. It has been described as "Yves Klein blue", but to me it is the quintessential Sydney blue, the blue of Brett Whiteley's Lavender Bay. Ultramarine - literally "outre mer" - beyond the sea. Originally ground from a semi precious stone, lapis lazuli, ultramarine was the most regal and expensive colour, used only to paint heaven or the cloaks of saints. Now this pigment has been replaced by cheap synthetic alternatives but the colour retains its almost mystical aura.

Ultramarine pigment

Lapis Lazuli

I'm in front of a reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge which is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

One nice touch is that even though my signature should have been cropped and obscured by the skirting board holding the panel in place, the design team very thoughtfully added my signature to the image at the lower right corner. Visitors will also be able to use the QR sign on the wall to link with this blog.

I'm in front of a reproduction of my painting of the 'Closing of the Gap' painted from the top of the Anzac Bridge which is now the focus of the newly renovated Reading Room of the State Reference Library.

A quote from the website of the State Library :

 "Our love of Sydney is clear throughout the Library with some spectacular images from our world-renowned collection on show, including Jane Bennett’s stunning Closing the Gap (1995) and Thomas Woore’s Panorama of Sydney (1829)."

Related articles

• Renovation project at the State Reference Library

• Facebook - Photos of newly renovated State Reference Library 

• Constant Reader (janebennettartist.blogspot.com)
• Color Diary: Yves Klein Blue (casasugar.com)

Constant Reader

"Closing the Gap" Painted from the top of the ANZAC Bridge' 
1995 oil on canvas 91x122cm  
SOLD 
COLLECTION: THE MITCHELL LIBRARY, STATE LIBRARY OF NSW

It's strange how when some paintings have been completed, they take on a life of their own.
One of my favourite art documentaries has always been the series "The Private Life of a Masterpiece" showing the weird and wonderful uses and occasionally abuses of various famous paintings. Paintings that were forgotten for centuries, suddenly rediscovered and revered, mocked for being cliches and sent up rotten by Monty Python, and then revered again.
My painting "Closing the Gap" has already had a very exciting afterlife indeed. It was completely ignored for nearly a decade,and spent some time cooling its heels behind a nameless gallery's photocopier, but I knew even when I was painting it that if I could hang out long enough, its time would come. I chose it as one of the images on my business cards, and noted that it was the most popular of all my cards. In fact a few people admitted that they had actually framed some of them as though they were miniatures! The actual canvas was exhibited for 2 years in the Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo, , in the exhibition : "Paradise,Purgatory and Hellhole-a history of Ultimo and Pyrmont". It made a brief visit to an exhibition in the funky Insa-dong gallery precinct of Seoul in South Korea a couple of years ago, and it was reproduced in an Asian art journal.
In 2009 it was acquired for the collection of the Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW.
In 2010 it featured in the exhibition - "ONE hundred"100 iconic objects from the permanent collection of the Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW, to celebrate the centenary of their founding in 1910, and a large image of it graced the back cover of the State Library Magazine.
In 2011, reproductions of it papered the boards covering the renovation work on the State Reference Library.
Now the State Library is going to hang a large reproduction of my work in the reading room of the redesigned State Reference Library. The display should be set up by the end of September, although the official launch of the renovations of the State Library won't be until Stage 2 has been completed, which would probably be in March 2012.
 "Closing the Gap" now seems to have become the iconic image of the western side of Sydney Harbour, just as Brett Whiteley's "Jacaranda Tree on Sydney Harbour"  is the iconic image for the eastern side. Lavender Bay symbolized the hedonistic lifestyle dream of Sydney in the 1960s and 70s as Pyrmont now embodies the ideal of the early 21st century. There may be free bookmarks, postcards and possibly even more merchandise to go with it. If I had a brain, I would have asked for royalties, but unfortunately I'm an artist and not an accountant, so I'll settle for fame and glory instead! The Library has said that they might even put my blog address on the main image at the copy desk. Apparently they can do a "QR code" so people can link to the blog with their mobile phones ... Considering that a bit over a year ago I didn't even know what a blog was, I'm impressed. I feel as though I have become as much a mascot for the State Library as "Trim" the cat!

Related articles

• Pyrmont : Shadows of the past (janebennettartist.blogspot.com)
• A Tale of two Pyrmont Hotels - 'The Terminus and the Point' (janebennettartist.blogspot.com)
• Eye retains rights to Glebe Island Silos megasite (mumbrella.com.au)

A Tale of two Pyrmont Hotels - 'The Terminus and the Point'

A Tale of two Pyrmont Hotels -

'The Terminus and the Point' 2010-2011

oil on canvas 31 x 61cm
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
Enquiries about similar paintings
I started painting this in 2010, but they started to dig up the pavement.
Again.
What a surprise.
As well as the construction of new buildings and demolition of the old ones, there has been what seems like endless removal and replacement of the cobblestones. Pyrmont is famous for its golden sandstone, but there must be genuine gold deposits underneath as they've been digging up the streets of Pyrmont as long as I can remember.
I had painted the Point hotel but had trouble seeing the Terminus from my chosen angle. Rather than repaint it I put it on the backburner and resumed last month.
By this time, the Point was under new management and had been repainted and renovated. I decided to keep the 'Point' as it had appeared when I started the painting rather than update it. You'd get dizzy keeping up with its changes anyway.
I've lost count of all its colour changes - it's gone through the entire Dulux Weathershield chart over the past 3 decades.
When I first saw it in 1981 as the 'Royal Pacific' it was a rather shopsoiled white with a royal blue trim.
It's much more chic now, in keeping with its new surroundings. Inside and out.
When the block down the road has been redeveloped by Lendlease to be one of the final buildings of the Jackson's Landing Precinct, the Point won't look out of place to its upmarket new customers.
The Terminus hasn't changed much throughout the years since it was abandoned, except that some of the ivy has died.
The network of dead vine tendrils twining over the sunburnt brick facade look like a rotting veil of Belgian lace.
It enhances the "Miss Havisham of Harris St" aura clinging to the Terminus.
Quite a contrast in style.
The striding legs of the Anzac Bridge at the top of John st link the past and the future together like a giant clothes peg.

See more about the Terminus Hotel at My Pyrmont page in this blog

Related posts

Recently sold Pyrmont paintings at Workplace 6
Terminus Redux
Wrong side of the tracks
Pretty vacant
To the point

Looking over the overlooked

Pyrmont paintings past and present

Pyrmont : Shadows of the past

I'm exhibiting 2 very large tonal drawings of early Pyrmont in a
Group Exhibition
June 13 - July 17 2011 at the Frances Keevil Gallery :
 

 P116A "Looking West from the top of the ANZAC bridge"

1995 - 6 mixed media on paper 141 x 134cm

Available for sale

Exhibition History:

FINALIST : 1996 GRAFTON JACARANDA DRAWING PRIZE

WINNER : 1996 PEOPLE'S CHOICE GRAFTON JACARANDA DRAWING PRIZE
Exhibited 2010 exhibition "Closing the Gap"  Frances Keevil Gallery COLLECTION : MITCHELL LIBRARYThe ultimate bird’s eye view of Sydney – the top of the western pylon of the still unfinished New Glebe Island Bridge provided me with majestic panoramas of Harbour, Bridge & City on the east.

However in 2 large drawings I decided to concentrate on the stark industrial landscapes on the north-west. It was as yet un-named – only after it was operational for at least a year did Bob Carr christen it the ANZAC Bridge.

I was invited up here as a consequence of being the resident artist of the Pyrmont Power Station, when Sydney Electricity were having discussions with the RTA and Baulderstone Hornibrook about lighting the Bridge.

While the bridge was being built, access to the top was by a tiny green lift that lurched unsteadily up one of the legs on the eastern and western side.The lifts seemed to be made mostly of chickenwire and it felt like every time they managed to groan upwards a couple of metres, they would suddenly lurch downwards at least half as much again.

After construction finished, access to the top was a lot more strenuous, although not as gut-wrenching. The legs of the ANZAC Bridge are hollow! To get to the top still needs a touch of courage as well as the ability to climb a steel rung ladder- the last 30 metres are completely vertical.

Now the old White Bay Hotel has been burnt down in mysterious circumstances, and subsequently demolished. The entire Bays precinct stretches from Blackwattle Bay, Glebe in the West, through White Bay and Glebe Island wharf, all the way to Balmain in the east. This huge expanse of former maritime industries faces unprecedented change in the near future, which I am poised to record.

 

 

P117 'Industrial Cathedral' 1998
charcoal on paper 131 x 131 cm
Available for sale
WINNER : 1998 HUNTER'S HILL OPEN ART PRIZE
FINALIST: 1998 BLAKE PRIZE FOR RELIGIOUS ART
FINALIST : 1998 DOBELL PRIZE FOR DRAWING, ART GALLERY OF NSW
EXHIBITED : 1998 - 2000 Blake Prize Touring Exhibition Touring the Regional Galleries of Australia
Drawn at the Cooperage, C.S.R. Refinery, where they made the barrels for the rum at the Distillery.
The Cooperage was a trio of connected saw-tooth warehouses behind the cranes where the ships used to dock.
I remember a giant mound of sugar inside the eastern shed. Some of the workers said (I hope as a joke !?) that they used to go for toboggan rides down it during smoko! Whether or not this was a joke, for many years afterwards I avoided eating sugar if possible - especially brown sugar!
By this time LendLease had demolished all the cranes on the dock and many of the other structures surrounding. The tin roof had gone and the skeletal framework reminded vaguely me of boatbuilding.
This drawing focuses on the mysterious patterns of shadow made by the fall of light. The cavernous space & rows of columns reminded me of the interiors of cathedrals & ruined abbeys. The wall at the back was the famous butter-yellow Pyrmont sandstone, which has been quarried to decorate the best loved historic Sydney buildings such as the Australian Museum, the Sydney Post Office, the University of Sydney. At sunset the sandstone rock face caught the last rays of light & the derelict warehouse was transformed.
In this series I painted many oils on canvas and board, and a few ink wash drawings on paper. The image of this area haunted me for several years, and I decided that I needed to create a drawing on a monumental scale while it was still there.
Now this building is the site of the "Cooperage cafe", servicing the new residents of LendLease's upmarket Jackson's Landing development.
I chose this image as the banner for my blog "Industrial Revelation"

I felt that it was an iconic image, summing up my mission to reveal the sadly neglected beauty of industrial heritage.

For more information see My Pyrmont page in this blog

Related posts
Looking over the overlooked-Urban decay in Pyrmont
To the Point
Wrong side of the tracks - Darling Island Bond and Free

Pretty vacant

A Tale of two hotels - the Terminus and the Point

Pyrmont Paintings past and present
Paintings of Pink pubs - Painting the Jolly Frog Part 2 
Not the Writers Festival- Exhibition of Pyrmont Paintings by Jane Bennett at 2013 Pyrmont Festival
We like sheep - Waite and Bull Building 137 Pyrmont Street
Marine art exhibition at Australian National Maritime Museum
Pyrmont Sandstone - The Lizards of Oz

Ghost ship - ex-HMAS Adelaide at Glebe - Part 1

'Ex HMAS Adelaide arrives at Glebe Island wharf' 
2009 oil on canvas 31 x 61cm
Available

The HMAS Adelaide had a varied career-  the Australian response to the 1987 Fijian coups d'état, Iraq invasion of Kuwait, Indonesian riots in May 1998, the INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce, the War in Afghanistan, and the United States-led invasion of Iraq.

She rescued 2 competitors  in the 1996–97 Vendee Globe solo round-the-world yacht race when in January 1997, the yachts of Thierry Dubois and Tony Bullimore capsized. 

Her most notorious moment was in 2001 when she intercepted a boat known as SIEV 4 carrying suspected illegal immigrants, now known as the 'Children overboard affair'.

'Action men' 2009 
oil painting on canvas 31 x 31cm

Available

The men from 'Action Cranes' start to remove railings in the first sign of the flurry of activity to come. . 
I painted close up details of the men at work, as well as a panorama of the ship positioned between the pillars of the Anzac Bridge, with its strings providing a dramatic counterpoint to the mast. 

'Action men' 2009 oil on canvas 31 x 61cm
Sold
COLLECTION : ACTION CRANES

Enquiries about similar paintings- janecooperbennett@gmail.com

At this stage the ship was at the southern end of the wharf.
At the northern end, I had been painting Baulderstone Hornibrook's construction of a screed and shear leg for the Port Botany Expansion Project. I became  frustrated at middle management's mindless onerous conditions while painting this project, which seemed designed to prevent me painting anything interesting without  helping anyone's health or safety.

 'Action cranes with the Adelaide' 
2009 oil on canvas 38 x 76cm
Available

As a plein air painter who has been used to painting under conditions that would scare most artists out of 10 years growth, it takes a lot to annoy or frustrate me! Coping with Baulderstone's minions was too much like beating my head against a brick wall for me to continue painting their project, but it was a blessing in disguise.
I had no idea how gripping the saga of the ex-HMAS Adelaide would become.
On the extreme left hand side of the last painting in this post is a strange contraption with white columns. This was a drill rig starting exploratory drilling for the ill-fated Sydney Metro project, which was finally shelved in early 2010 after a great deal of controversy.
Soon the controversy surrounding the scuttling of the ex-HMAS Adelaide would even rival the debate over the Metro! 

See my Hungry Mile page in this blog
For more paintings and information about the ex-HMAS Adelaide:
See my White Bay Wharf / Glebe island Wharf page in this blog

Related posts

From the Tampa to Strictly Ballroom

Ghost Ship Part 2

Ship to Shore - Australian Marine Artists Society exhibition at Mosman Art Gallery

Two Ships in dock - Painting the 'Pacific Jewel' and the ex-HMAS Adelaide' at Glebe Island Wharf

In the dock*
*dock 1
1.The area of water between two piers or alongside a pier that receives a ship for loading, unloading, or repairs.
dock 2
1. To clip short or cut off
2. To deprive of a benefit or a part of something, especially as a punishment
3. To withhold or deduct a part from dock 3

An enclosed place where the defendant stands or sits in a court of law. Idiom: 'in the dock'
On trial or under intense scrutiny. (Definitions of 'Dock' courtesy of the Free Dictionary)

2 ships on Glebe Island Wharf- one under repair and one being systematically pulled to pieces, both literally and metaphorically.
After a problem developed in the propulsion system, the 'Pacific Jewel' had to cool its heels for quite a while, first at Barangaroo, then for over a week at Glebe Island and finally at Captain Cook dry dock over at Garden Island.

Painting the 'Pacific Jewel'

en plein air at Glebe Island Wharf

Available
The engines had broken down and after a few days the cruise ship was moved to the Naval dry dock at Woolloomooloo on Saturday 30th November, unfortunately while I was at the Eveleigh field day.
When I asked a couple of blokes in overalls how long the repairs would take, one of them said that they had to move an item weighing about 45 tons to get to the broken bit. When I asked how that was going, they laughed and said that they had managed about 8 tons of it so far; about 37 to go.

Painting the 'Pacific Jewel' en plein air

at Glebe Island Wharf,

oil painting by artist Jane Bennett 27th October 2010

Available 
Starting the new canvas. It was a sullen overcast day with very gusty winds. I knew it would be hopeless to try any painting on the open wharf next day. I didn't know how long that the 'Pacific Jewel' would be staying at Glebe Island. Nor did anyone else.

Painting the 'Pacific Jewel' at Glebe Island

on 29th October 2010

Available 
I resumed painting on the 29th, which was just as well as the day after this, the 'Pacific Jewel' was sent to Captain Cook Dry Dock at Garden Island. I unfortunately missed this as I had committed myself to be "Artist in Residence" at the Eveleigh Field Day, and try as I might I still haven't mastered the knack of being in 2 places at the one time.
See my post in this blog about the Eveleigh Field Day
However I managed to catch up with the 'Pacific Jewel' a couple of days later at Captain Cook dock, courtesy of Eptec, who were also painting the ship.
White.
With really big rollers.

Painting the 'Pacific Jewel' en plein air

at Glebe Island Wharf,

oil painting by artist Jane Bennett

Available 
When it started to rain again I didn't feel like going home so I went over to say hello to Chris and the guys and renew my acquaintance with the Adelaide. I was able to get a little shelter from the weather as they have containers and demountables.
The ex-HMAS Adelaide has been lying doggo off Glebe Island for over a year now. You can see it in the background of this canvas, to the left of the 'Pacific Jewel'.
The Adelaide has had a chequered career. Adelaide was the ship which intercepted SIEV 4 on 6th October 2001, which was the event that sparked the Children overboard affair

I have rather a collection of paintings of notorious ships e.g the 'MV Tampa'.  

See From the Tampa to Strictly Ballroom

'The 'ex HMAS Adelaide' 1 year later

at Glebe Island wharf' 2010

oil painting on canvas 25 x 51cm

Available 

The seemingly never-ending saga of the poor old Adelaide continues. There's not much left of her to sink now! Almost everything that can be removed has been removed.
There is a huge gang of workmen clad in fluoro orange overalls ( excellent colour choice from my point of view - it is the complementary opposite to the pale grey-green of the hull) busy stripping her out, but there is still a 'Waiting for Godot' atmosphere hanging over this flurry of activity.
You see, we've been through this all before.
The vessel had been prepared for scuttling from its arrival in late 2009 to early 2010. Her mast was cut off so that it wouldn't become a navigational hazard once the ship was scuttled. Dangerous materials, weapons, systems and potential toxins were removed, and diver access holes were cut in the ship's flanks.
Originally the Adelaide was scheduled to have been sunk on the 27th March, 2010, in 32 metres of water, 1.7 kilometres offshore from Avoca Beach, until a literally last minute court challenge nipped this in the bud. Local stirrers campaigned to prevent the scuttling, with claims that the wreck had the "potential to affect tides and littoral sand drift", and that the "removal of chemicals and hazardous materials in the ship had not been completely thorough".
An appeal by the protest groups to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal three days before the sinking saw the project placed on hold. The case was to have been heard on 5 May 2010, but this was postponed until July.
On 15th September, the Tribunal finally ruled that scuttling of the ship could go ahead after the removal of canvas, insulation, any remaining wiring, (which allegedly may contain polychlorinated biphenyls) and exfoliating paint (which may allegedly contain red lead).
There will be another attempt to scuttle her in April 2011, but there are no guarantees that there won't be further court action to delay or even stop proceedings.
The suspense continues...

Painting 'Pacific Jewel' en plein air

at Glebe Island Wharf,

oil painting by artist Jane Bennett

Available 

I'm usually the only painter on the wharf.
Other people are painting the ship too! White, and with really big rollers. Here is a glimpse of them at the top of the orange crane in the background. When I first arrived and said to the security guard that I had come to paint the ship, this is what he thought I meant.

Painting 'Pacific Jewel' en plein air at Glebe Island Wharf,

oil painting by artist Jane Bennett

Available 
The 'Pacific Jewel' was officially launched with its present name at White Bay Wharf, only about 500 metres to the north, on 14 December 2009, less than a year ago. Originally christened the 'Crown Princess', she was built in 1989 and her maiden call was on the 6th July 1990. Her curved 'dolphin-like' profile was apparently designed by Renzo Piano. The 'Pacific Dawn', her sister ship, is also a frequent visitor to Barangaroo.

Painting 'Pacific Jewel' en plein air at Glebe Island Wharf,

oil painting by artist Jane Bennett

Available 
Due to the ongoing repairs during October 2010, three cruises for October and November (to Vanuatu and Noumea, Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup, and Fiji) had to be cancelled in the start of one of Australia's busiest cruise ship seasons.

Portrait of the artist at work
Available 


'The 'Pacific Jewel' at Glebe Island' 2010
oil painting on canvas 31 x 103cm.
Available 
The painting is completed.
This bit of bad luck for the ship was a bit of good luck for me. Normally a cruise ship is docked for a day or less, and the painting has to be small enough to be completed in the time available or the next time around. By now I have quite a comprehensive collection of 'Pacific Jewel' paintings from every conceivable viewpoint, several locations and at most hours of the day or night.

For more paintings and information about the 'MV Tampa':
See my Hungry Mile page in this blog
For more paintings and information about the ex-HMAS Adelaide:
See my White Bay Wharf / Glebe island Wharf page in this blog

Related posts

From the Tampa to Strictly Ballroom

Ghost ship Part 1

Ghost Ship Part 2

Ship to Shore - Australian Marine Artists Society exhibition at Mosman Art Gallery

My Paintings at Sydney Open- Part 2

My exhibition of Pyrmont paintings at 'Workplace6'

Easel on left:

above: 'R.E.V.Y. from the top of the Elcom building' 1991 oil on board 31 x 25cm

centre:'Pyrmont Goods Yard and Miller's Point from the roof of the Pyrmont Power Station' 1993 oil on canvas 91 x 122cm

Easel on right:
above: 'Early morning, Jones Bay Road' 1997 oil on canvas 41 x 51cm

centre:'Building Star City Casino' 1995 oil on canvas 91 x 122cm

Enquiries about my Pyrmont paintings:

janecooperbennett@gmail.com

Note the reflections on the polished floor.

Easel on left:

'Closing the gap' 1995 oil on canvas 91 x 122cm

Enquiries about my Pyrmont paintings:

janecooperbennett@gmail.com

Related articles

• Pyrmont paintings past and present- My Exhibition in the Australian National Maritime Museum
• Something old-Something New- Some paintings at Barangaroo

• My Paintings at the Sydney Open : Part 1 (janebennettartist.blogspot.com)
• My exhibition at the Sydney Open (janebennettartist.blogspot.com) 

Update 17/10/12
Although both my exhibitions were very popular and gave onlookers a unique experience of seeing the past history of these areas in context with their present day surroundings; the Historic Houses Trust has messed me around badly , and I will not be exhibiting in the 2012 Sydney Open.