Looking for suitable subject matter to paint for the Xmas exhibition at the Frances Keevil Gallery, I couldn't resist the tugs.
The best opportunities are when they escort the tankers in and out of Gore Cove, and when the cruise ships come in to Barangaroo. Peak cruise ship season is from October to the end of February, so this means a bumper crop of tugboat paintings.
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| 'The 'Wonga' 2011 oil on board 28 x 35cm Enquiries about similar paintings |
My studio at Moore's Wharf, opposite Walsh Bay Wharves on the right and Barangaroo to the left, offers good vantage points for tug spotting.
As well as painting from the wharf at ground level when the weather permits, I have studio space on the top floor in the 'loft', which gives me a 'bird's eye view'.
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| 'The 'Wilga' 2011 oil on board 28 x 35cm Enquiries about similar paintings |
In this set of paintings, I have varied the viewpoint and the background - the paintings of the 'Wilga' and the 'Wonga' feature the tugs alone against the sea and are painted from the top floor of Moore's Wharf; the 'Woona' (which has recently been repainted in its new livery of Naples yellow and navy - it used to be white with a black hull) is painted in late afternoon against the spectacular backdrop of Goat Island; and the 'Watagan', one of the smaller tugs, is shown dwarfed by the giant white cruise ship it is escorting.
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Sydney's new cruise ship terminal will be built at White Bay, as soon as the old White Bay Transit Shed has been demolished.
In the meantime, there are a motley collection of vessels berthed there for me to paint.
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All the previous paintings are of Svitzer tugs and
painted from around Moore's Wharf.
This is
the odd one out in the series, as it was painted at White Bay, and was tied up rather than out on the water. I thought that it would be a good contrast.
I fell in love with the pale
blue tug PB Endeavour, one of the Pacific Basin Tugs.
I was admiring it when it has been berthed at White Bay Berth 5, next to the 'Bob Barker - Sea Shepherd'.
The PB Endeavour was launched just over a year ago, and was a bargain
at $9 million or so ! I wish! But as it falls a little bit outside my budget,
I'll have to settle for painting it.
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| 'The 'PB Endeavour' at White Bay 2011 oil on board 28 x 35cm Painted en plein air at White Bay Wharf, Berth 5 Sold |
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'The 'PB Endeavour' at White Bay
2011 oil on board 28 x 35cm Painted en plein air at White Bay Wharf, Berth 5 Sold |
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| 'The 'PB Endeavour' at White Bay 2011 oil on board 28 x 35cm Painted en plein air at White Bay Wharf, Berth 5 Sold |
I'll display this set of little tugboat paintings in the Xmas show at Frances Keevil Gallery, opening on Saturday 10th December 2011