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| Starting my painting commission at dawn, under the Anzac Bridge, looking at Sydney City Marina over to the western side. 'Under the Bridge 1- early morning' oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012 Sold : Private Collection Sydney |
Even before I was given the amazing opportunity to paint it from the top, I had painted the progress of the construction of its pylons in the background of many of my Pyrmont paintings during the early-mid 1990s.
'Under the Bridge 1- early morning' oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
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Many other people also love this bridge.
Recently I was given a very special commission to paint the Anzac Bridge.
'Under the Bridge 1- early morning' oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
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But not from the top this time.
From underneath.
The "Underbelly".
'Under the Bridge 1- early morning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
So now I'm painting on the other side of Blackwattle Bay.
Behind me are the dragon boat teams, and beside me are the construction sheds of the people doing maintenance work on the Bridge.
My canvas is 76 x 76cm and has been primed with black acrylic paint to help me gauge the colour values against the glare of the morning sun.
'Under the Bridge 1- early morning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
I've started to paint in the pale blue morning sky.
The building in the background is "evolve", part of the Jackson's Landing development, which was built on the site formerly occupied by the 'Caneite' building of the CSR Refinery.
The mysterious 'great balls of Pyrmont' which now adorn the park in front of this building were digesters originally used in the Caneite factory to turn sugar cane waste into masonite and similar building products. They still bear the scars of marine worms and barnacles that they accumulated after rolling off the wharf and spending a few years underwater.
One of the men from Waterways Constructions took a fancy to them and fished them out.
Now they are "works of art".
6.30am 'Under the Bridge 1- early morning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
The morning sun lights up the Glebe Island silos and the old Glebe Island swing bridge.
At the moment Glebe Island is almost deserted, but soon this will change when they start construction of a new temporary exhibition space while the Darling Harbour space is undergoing refurbishment.
A promising start 'Under the Bridge 1- early morning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
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After 2 hours, the silos and the bow legs of the pylons supporting the Anzac Bridge are starting to take shape. The Anzac Bridge is a beautiful, elegant and supremely functional piece of design, but from certain angles it can sometimes look a bit bandy-legged.
There are several bridges around the world of similar design. I remember walking across a huge version in Rotterdam, and being very surprised when they rang an alarm and people walking across started to scatter to either end. The bridge appeared to 'break' in the middle and a huge container ship moved through the gap in the centre.
At the end of the first session 'Under the Bridge 1- early morning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
However my first painting session was cut short unexpectedly.
At 8am I got a phone call from the hospital saying that after reviewing some of my mum's blood tests they wanted me to bring her in so that they could operate on her, so I stopped painting and rushed to get her.
Stage 2 Half finished -'Under the Bridge 1- early morning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
During the next painting session, I made sure to paint the green and yellow Devine tug berthed at Sydney City Marina, as I knew it would soon move away.
Next week it was on the other side of the old Glebe Island swing Bridge, so I was lucky to catch it.
To the far left is one of the chimneys of the White Bay Power Station, and on the right are some rotting stumps belonging to the old Glebe island swing Bridge.
Stage 3 Nearly finished -'Under the Bridge 1- early morning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
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This painting is nearly finished, but the colour and shadows need a bit of adjusting before I'm happy with it.
Stage 4 Nearly finished -'Under the Bridge 1- early morning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
Almost finished.
I was a bit on edge as I had to make sure that I didn't get locked in with all the dragon boats.There are several clubs but nobody seems to know when the last club will leave. My painting site is hidden by the construction area, so I have to keep checking to see if there are any cars left.
There are lots of different clubs. Some of the rowers say that it will close about 2 - 3pm, and some say as early as 11am.
I don't want to be locked in!
I'm working fast!
'Under the Bridge 1- early morning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
I needn't have panicked about being locked in.
The construction guys have promised that if I get locked in they will let me out, and there are constant security patrols.
Tuesday to Thursday mornings there is a boat repair course for unemployed people, so I have a bit more access than I thought I would.
I was worried about completing this commission as I thought that my access would be restricted to very early on Saturday mornings.
As my mum has been so ill, I can't predict when I'll get any free time.
A bit of glazing to add colour highlights and some rose pink early morning clouds will complete the painting.
Stage 2 Half finished -'Under the Bridge 2- storm warning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Sold : Private Collection Sydney
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But even though it was so close to being finished, there were a few twists before it was finally complete.
The weather has been variable - sometimes very windy and a couple of wild storms.
One morning I turned up and it was so cloudy that I almost decided to head back home again.
I'm glad I didn't, although I couldn't paint for long before it started raining.
I always take a couple of spare canvases just in case, and luckily I had one the same size as the one for the commission.
The sun crept out from behind the clouds every now and then - playing across the bridge pylons and the last vestiges of the working harbour beneath.
The colours changed the mood so much that I had to start another painting rather than add to the one that I was half way through.
Stage 3 Nearly finished -'Under the Bridge 2- storm warning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Available for sale
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Exactly the same time of day as the earlier painting , but the stormy conditions give such a different mood, and a complete change of palette.
One of my favourite paintings is "The Tempest" by Giorgione. I love the sense of foreboding he has created by such simple means - a few clouds, shadows and highlights, and the resulting painting has a mysterious poetry that defies analysis.
'Under the Bridge 2- storm warning'
oil on canvas 76 x 76cm 2012
Available for sale
Enquiries
At first I was worried that I wouldn't have enough time to complete my commission - and now I have 2 canvases!
I don't know which canvas my client will choose.
I've emailed both and she's said that I've made it difficult for her - she loves both of them! This is her birthday present to herself, and very important to her, so I wanted her to be very happy with the result.
The big decision is tomorrow.
Update
She finally decided on the early morning painting.