Boat at Goat

The Shirley Smith is now on the slipway on the western side of Goat Island.

The last few canvases that I have completed at Moore's Wharf have  Goat Island as their main subject.
The eastern side of the Island which faces Moore's Wharf, features the old amenities block, which was once the site of the iconic TV series "Water Rats", and the heritage cottages which once housed the headquarters of the Harbour Master.
The western side of Goat Island still has an operating shipyard, one of the last vestiges of Sydney's rich heritage as a working harbour.
The only hint of this on the eastern side is the barely visible tip of the crane poking out from the treetops.

Starting a small oil sketch of the

"Shirley Smith" on the Goat Island slipway, 

oil on canvas 13 x 18cm

Enquiries about this painting

Several years ago I managed to paint on Goat Island, but it was difficult to arrange access there, and even more importantly, back.

It's a long swim to shore.

I have longed to return to paint on Goat Island, and last week I finally got my wish.
I hitched a ride on the "Mann's Point", courtesy of Sydney Ports Corporation, and painted 2 tiny oil sketches.

Starting a small oil sketch of the

"Shirley Smith" on the Goat Island slipway, 

oil on canvas 13 x 18cm

Enquiries about this painting

I had a great vantage point as I was sitting on a jetty directly opposite.

My first small oil sketch of the "Shirley Smith" on the Goat Island slipway, oil on canvas 13 x 18cm 

Enquiries about this painting

Next time, I must take some larger canvases, as I would like to include the crane.
I might not get the opportunity to return until the end of this week as there have been so many commitments and distractions.
My solo exhibition continues until the end of the month. Once the paintings had been hung, and the official opening was over,  I  had to organize a panel discussion and an artist's talk.

Another view of my small oil sketch of the

"Shirley Smith" on the Goat Island slipway,

oil on canvas 13 x 18cm

Enquiries about this painting

I have left one of my French box easels on Goat Island, to make it easier for me to return with larger canvases.

The people at the shipyard have been wonderful. They are so friendly and easygoing, and have so much passion for the unique maritime heritage of Goat Island.

Starting my second small oil sketch of the

"Shirley Smith" on the Goat Island slipway,

oil on canvas 15 x 31cm

Enquiries about this painting

Painting on the island is an inspiring experience, but the trouble is that if I have left something behind, I have to do without until next time.

It can be awkward to take equipment there, and even more awkward to take it back.
I tried to take the bare minimum of stuff in my trolley luggage, but even so I needed help to lug my easel from the boat to the ramp.

My 2nd small oil sketch of the "Shirley Smith"

on the Goat Island slipway 

oil on canvas 15 x 31cm

Enquiries about this painting

My return journey to Moore's Wharf was with the apprentice boat repairers,  in a much smaller boat.

They were keen to get home, so it was a fast and bumpy Harbour cruise. 

It was made even more exciting by having to juggle two small wet canvases and make sure that they didn't fall in the water.

Related posts

Barangaroo-where Art, Architecture, History, Politics + Economics meet

Painting the Poolya at Glebe Island

Storm Warning, Goat Island

Lashed to the Mast - Plein air Painting at Moore's Wharf

From the Hungry mile to Barangaroo

Exhibition:Frances Keevil Gallery-Hungry Mile-Barangaroo

Walsh Bay - Paintings of the old Port

'From the Hungry Mile to Barangaroo'

My solo exhibition 'From the Hungry Mile to Barangaroo' will be held at the Frances Keevil Gallery until 24th March 2013.

'Goat Island from Moore's Wharf'

2013 oil on canvas 122 x 183cm Sold

The 'Hungry Mile''
2007 oil on canvas 100 x 122cm
Enquiries about these paintings
This exhibition will be the major event for Art Month, and will opened by Elizabeth Fortescue, Visual Arts Writer for The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday 5th March 2013, 6 – 8pm.

'Wharf 6/7' 1999 oil on canvas 61 x 101cm
'Harbour Control Tower from Moore's Wharf ' 
2013 oil on canvas 51 x 25cm  Sold

'L3' Crane, with the 'Taiko'

2006 oil on canvas 51 x 25cm

'Barangaroo from Glebe Island' 2010

oil on canvas 31 x 61 cm  Sold

'The empty wharf from shed 6' 2008

oil on canvas 31 x 61cm

'Interior, Wharf 8-9' 2000

oil on canvas 31 x 61cm

'Night, from bridge of 'Maersk Gateshead'

2009 oil on canvas 61 x 91cm

'The 'Southern Cross'

2007 oil on canvas 31 x 92cm Sold

Enquiries about these paintings

'Yellow cranes from the cage'

2007 oil on canvas 153 x 61cm Sold

'Capitaine Tasman' + 'Caledonie Express' night

2007 oil on canvas 31x103cm

'The last call of the 'Tampa'

2007 oil on canvas 31x103cm

'Forklifts in the fog panorama'

2007 oil on canvas 31x103cm

'The Pacific Dawn with demolition of Shed 6'

2008 oil on canvas 31x103cm

Enquiries about these paintings

The gallery was still hanging the exhibition when these photos were taken.

'The Last of the Hungry Mile' 2007 oil on canvas 180 x 122cm
FINALIST : 2008 SULMAN PRIZE, ART GALLERY OF NSW
'Walsh Bay Wharves, Moore's Wharf and the Hungry Mile'
2002 oil on canvas 122 x 152cm
'Relics from the 'Dead House' 2007 oil on canvas 122 x 100cm
Enquiries about these paintings

The paintings show the transition of the former wharf, East Darling Harbour, known as the "Hungry Mile", to the construction site, Barangaroo.

'Sydney Harbour Panorama from the Stamford on Kent'
2007 oil on canvas 25 x 153cm Sold

'Moore's Wharf from the bridge of 'Scholarship'

2007 oil on canvas 25 x 51cm Sold

Moore's Wharf, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Walsh Bay Wharves'

2007 oil on canvas 25 x 51cm Sold

'Wharf Skeleton' 2008 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm

'The wharves and High St from the Stamford on Kent'

2007 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm"

'The Last of the Hungry Mile' 2007 oil on canvas 180 x 122cm
FINALIST : 2008 SULMAN PRIZE, ART GALLERY OF NSW
Enquiries about these paintings

I've had a ring-side seat to paint this fascinating area, courtesy of many businesses and private individuals, who had to put up with having a self-appointed "Artist in Residence" paint from their offices, shops, cafes or homes.

'Harbour Control Tower from Moore's Wharf '

2013 oil on canvas 51 x 25cm Sold

'L3' Crane, with 'Taiko' 2006

oil on canvas 51 x 25cm

'The 'Charlotte ' passing Goat Island 2011

oil on canvas 15 x 18cm Sold 

'Goat Island from Moore's Wharf' 2010

oil on canvas 45 x 91 cm

'High Street from the wharf' 2007

oil on canvas 31 x 41cm

'Forklifts in the fog' 2007

oil on canvas 31 x 41cm

Enquiries about these paintings

I've been able to create large-scale plein air canvases in the middle of the Barangaroo demolition site, from the top of the Harbour Control Tower and in Moore's Wharf, the headquarters of the Sydney Ports Corporation Emergency Response Tugs and Pilot Boats.

'Sydney Harbour Panorama from the Stamford on Kent'
2007 oil on canvas 25 x 153cm Sold
Moore's Wharf from the bridge of the 'Scholarship'
2007 oil on canvas 25 x 51cm Sold
Moore's Wharf, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Walsh Bay Wharves'
2007 oil on canvas 25 x 51cm Sold
'Wharf Skeleton' 2008 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm

'The wharves and High St from Stamford on Kent'

2007 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm

Enquiries about these paintings
These are the last outposts of maritime and industrial activity, once so familiar around Sydney Harbour.

'Wharf Skeleton' 2008 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm

'The wharves and High St from the Stamford on Kent'

2007 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm

Enquiries about these paintings
 
See also my previous solo exhibition in 2011 at the Frances Keevil Gallery : "May Close without warning"

Related posts

The Mother Art is Architecture

Eaten by Robots

The Last of the Hungry Mile

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.

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.

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

The 'Poolya', formerly known as the 'Kahibah', was built in 1949.

For a long time she was based at Goat Island.

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.

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.

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.

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'.

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.

'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 ?"

 '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)

Pyrmont paintings-Exhibition in Australian National Maritime Museum

From the Hungry Mile - Barangaroo

2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Show at the Australian National Maritime Museum

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.

"Demolition of Wharf 6/7, Walsh Bay Wharves” 2001  
oil on canvas 61 x 102cm

Enquiries about this painting :

janecooperbennett@gmail.com

                         

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. 

"The last call of the ‘Tampa’ ”

2007 oil on canvas 31 x 103cm

Enquiries about this painting :

janecooperbennett@gmail.com

                              

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.

”Ex-HMAS Adelaide at Glebe Island Wharf”  2009 oil on canvas  46 x 92cm

Enquiries about this painting :

janecooperbennett@gmail.com

                         

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 13^th 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.  

Artist in Residence at the Australian National Maritime Museum

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 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.

Painting the 'Winnie Too' at the

2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival

Australian National Maritime Museum.

Oil on canvas 51 x 61cm

Enquiries about this painting :

janecooperbennett@gmail.com

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.

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.

Related Posts

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

Slipping Away

Beyond the Sea

Two Ships in dock

UPtown Festival 2011

Marine Art Exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum

Tugs, barges and tall ships

From the Tampa to Strictly Ballroom

See my Hungry Mile page in this blog

See my White Bay Wharf / Glebe island Wharf page in this blog