Ship to Shore - the 11th annual exhibition by the Australian Society of Marine Artists at Mosman Regional Art Gallery

For the 11th annual art exhibition by the members of the Australian Society of Marine Artists, I decided to enter 2 of my paintings of the drama surrounding the controversial scuttling of the ex HMAS Adelaide off North Avoca Beach in April 2011.

The artist painting

on Glebe Island Wharf 2010-11
'The ex HMAS Adelaide'' at Glebe Island Wharf
2011 oil on canvas 61 x 183 cm
Enquiries about this painting:
janecooperbennett@gmail.com 

"Ex HMAS Adelaide- flag raising at dawn" 2010 
oil on canvas 31 x 103cm
Enquiries about this painting:
janecooperbennett@gmail.com  

Painted 'en plein air' on Glebe Island Wharf, 1 year almost to the day before her long awaited departure and eventual scuttling.

The artist painting the ex HMAS Adelaide
for the very last time at North Avoca Beach, April 2011
Enquiries about this painting:
janecooperbennett@gmail.com  

I was painting this view of the ex HMAS Adelaide from the look-out opposite the surf club. Inside the surf club were police monitoring the activities of the largely non-existent protesters. 
One of the police inside called out to me. I was startled at first, but then realised that he had recognised me as the artist who was at the top of the Harbour Control Tower painting the Pope's visit to Barangaroo during World Youth Day celebrations in 2008. Small world!

Painting the ex HMAS Adelaide for the very last time at North Avoca Beach in April 2011

Enquiries about this painting:

janecooperbennett@gmail.com 

That sinking feeling...

Painting the ex HMAS Adelaide

for the very last time at North Avoca Beach,April 2011
Enquiries about this painting:
janecooperbennett@gmail.com  

The very next day, the ex HMAS Adelaide was underwater. 

"The ex HMAS Adelaide from North Avoca"
2011 oil on canvas 31 x 61cm
Enquiries about this painting:
janecooperbennett@gmail.com 

Now that all the controversy has settled down, the wreck has already become a major dive site and tourist attraction.

It was amazing how quickly marine life has been attracted to the Adelaide and has adopted it as a new home.
These 2 paintings will be exhibited in "Ship to Shore: 11th National Australian Society of Marine Artists Exhibition" from Saturday 26 November – Saturday 31 December 2011  at the Mosman Regional Art Gallery.

At the opening of "Ship to Shore"
with the Principal of the Julian Ashton Art School,
Paul Delprat

At the opening of "Ship to Shore" with the
Principal of the Julian Ashton Art School, Paul Delprat

Related Posts

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

Beyond the Sea

Two Ships in dock

Tugs, barges and tall ships

From the Tampa to Strictly Ballroom

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

Sea no evil? Painting the 'Sea Shepherd' at White Bay

The sign of the pirate, the snarling teeth on the bow and the spikes protruding from the helipad. 

Yes, the 'Bob Barker' from Sea Shepherd Australia was in Sydney until Friday.

I was there intending to paint the White Bay Transit Shed before its demolition, but the crew of the "Sea Shepherd", who were curious about the "Artist in Residence" on the wharf, challenged me to see if I could paint their ship while they filmed me. 

I picked up my easel and moved a bit closer to the ship, but out of the way of the crane delivering supplies for their Antarctic voyage. 

 

"Bob Barker - Sea Shepherd"

2011 oil on canvas 25 x 51cm 

Available for sale

The "Bob Barker - Sea Shepherd" crew challenged me to paint their ship before their departure. 

Nothing like a bit of pressure! These 2 photos of me and my canvas were taken by some of the crew.

"Bob Barker - Sea Shepherd" 

2011 oil on canvas 25 x 51cm

Available for sale

With my completed canvas of the "Bob Barker - Sea Shepherd" in front of the ship.

The ship's crazy paint job made it hard to discern its proportions against the blue sky and sea.

I don't know whether this helps to camouflage it or make it stand out against the backdrop of the icy Southern ocean.

The vessel didn't exactly have classical lines, and there were a lot of strange and fiddly details to cope with. Some of these I didn't really understand until after I had finished my painting and was given a celebratory tour of the ship. Strange yellow and black attachments turned out to be barricading to prevent easy boarding. Later in the afternoon more of these were attached to the upper deck helipad at a jaunty angle - giving the ship an even more raffish and piratical air.

 "Bob Barker - Sea Shepherd"  2011 oil on canvas 25 x 51cm

Available for sale

I had completed the canvas of the "Bob Barker - Sea Shepherd" by mid - afternoon and here it is on my easel in front of the ship.

"Bob Barker - Sea Shepherd"

2011 oil on canvas 25 x 51cm 

Available for sale

 

I started the canvas about 10.30 am and finished it by about 1.30pm, then spent a couple of hours having a guided tour of the ship. Unfortunately the next day was quite windy and I aggravated an old shoulder injury while chasing a runaway canvas that had been caught in a sudden gust of wind, so I missed their departure on Friday.

 

Related posts

Painting the 'Poolya' at Glebe Island

The White Shed at White Bay

 

The White Shed at White Bay

Demolition of the White Bay Transit shed will soon commence.

Cardinal, who demolished the wharf buildings at East Darling Harbour, have set up in the old canteen at the western end of the shed.

I started this canvas on Tuesday 8th November.

White Bay Transit Shed, from Berth 6, White Bay'
2011 oil on canvas 61 x 91cm.

I've been told that the gantries on either side of the shed have been heritage listed, but I don't know if they will be retained. White Bay has been confirmed as the site of the new cruise ship terminal.
Sydney Ports Corporation owns and manages White Bay Berths 1-6. The berths are leased to licensees who operate independent businesses including:
Private Harbour Cruises, Road Construction, Harbour Construction and Vessel Maintenance.

Starting to paint the sky of a canvas of the
soon to be demolished
'White Bay Transit Shed, from Berth 6, White Bay'
2011 oil on canvas 61 x 91cm

I've been allowed to paint the shed from the most eastern point, Berth 6, leased from Sydney Ports Corporation by Bailey's Marine Fuels.
Berth 5 is leased by the PB tug "Endeavour", a small and extremely cute pale blue tug with a black hull, only just over a year old.

My half finished canvas 'White Bay Transit Shed,
from Berth 6, White Bay' 2011 oil on canvas 61 x 91cm.

At Berth 4, is the scary looking "Sea Shepherd", bane of the Japanese whaling fleet. They will depart for Antarctica on Friday 18th November, so if I am to paint them I need to work fast.

'White Bay Transit Shed, from Berth 6, White Bay'
 2011 oil on canvas 61 x 91cm.

Berth 3 houses Waterway Constructions. They are now the proud owners of the largest crane I have seen since Titan sank.

'White Bay Transit Shed, from Berth 6, White Bay'
2011 oil on canvas 61 x 91cm.

Berth 2 has a motley collection of barges and a yellowish tug that looks just as battered as my station wagon. To the west are the Ausbarge tugs, the Morpeth and Coramba. Their funnels have been given a fresh coat of bright blue, since I last painted them.
Berth 1 is home to the tall ship, the 'Southern Swan', formerly known as the 'Svanen'.

'White Bay Transit Shed, from Berth 6, White Bay'
2011 oil on canvas 61 x 91cm.

 

The sullen clouds overhead developed into a violent storm, known as a "southerly buster".
The day after, Baileys started to construct an awning between the two blue containers, to provide shelter for their workmen.Later that afternoon an impressive southerly buster blew up, as you can see by the ominous stormclouds above the shed in both the painting and the photo.

'White Bay Transit Shed, from Berth 6, White Bay'
2011 oil on canvas 36 x 46cm.

The next day, Wednesday 9th November, I had to make an early start, as I had a very important appointment to keep.

In late 2009, I had been approached by some people from St Vincents Hospital to paint a block of heritage terraces soon to be redeveloped for the new Kollings Cancer Institute. Just when I had thought everyone had forgotten about this, St Vincents Hospital notified me that they had booked me to have a major solo exhibition of these paintings from 4th February - 8th March 2012.

Wednesday would be my opportunity to meet and discuss the exhibition before the organizers took their Christmas break.I arrived by 7am, unpacked and started this small canvas by 7.30am.

White Bay Transit Shed, from Berth 6, White Bay'
2011 oil on canvas 36 x 46cm.

However, to arrive at my meeting and still manage to look halfway human for the meeting at 1pm I had to stop painting by 11am and scrub myself clean.
The weather looked a bit dodgy, so the people from Bailey's kindly allowed me to store my half finished canvases in one of the toilet blocks in case it rained while I was away.
As I was going to take my collection of paintings of the Victoria terraces in to see how they would look in the exhibition space at Xavier level 3, I wouldn't be able to pack my wet canvases and easel on top of these earlier works without risking disaster.

Painting the White Bay Transit Shed, from Berth 6, White Bay.

White Bay Transit Shed, from Berth 6, White Bay'

2011 oil on canvas 61 x 91cm.

The meeting was a great success, and I'm very excited about the forthcoming exhibition at St Vincents, even though my last exhibition at the Frances Keevil Gallery has only just ended.
I'll barely have time to catch my breath between projects. 

White Bay Transit Shed, from Berth 6, White Bay'

2011 oil on canvas 61 x 91cm.

The tanks and containers are reflected in the pools of water left over from Tuesday's violent storm.

 

Related posts

"Tugs, barges and Tall ships"

 

"Sea no evil" 

 

"St Vincent's Art in the heart of Darlinghurst" 

All fired up

Designer + Blacksmith = The Collaborative Effect

 This event, coordinated by Alain-Henri Chazelles of IN HOUSE GROUP3, brought designer Alex Ritchie, (Creative Director of experiential design agency E2) and metalworker Guido Gouverneur (Blacksmith and Metalworker of Wrought Artworks and Steel Windows and Doors), together to discuss forged iron and conceptually designed architectural metalwork in the built environment.

Jane Bennett, industrial heritage artist,
painting the blacksmiths of 'Wrought Artworks'
 Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh Railway Workshops

Enquiries

Guido and his team of blacksmiths also gave an exciting forging demonstration. 

Jane Bennett, industrial heritage artist
painting the blacksmiths of 'Wrought Artworks'
Australian Technology Park Eveleigh Railway Workshops

Enquiries

Jane Bennett, industrial heritage artist
painting the blacksmiths of 'Wrought Artworks'
Australian Technology Park Eveleigh Railway Workshops

Enquiries

I also gave a demonstration of how I paint fast-moving artisans working in darkness, while attempting to dodge the twirling batons of red-hot metal that they waved around with such nonchalant grace.

Exhibition by Jane Bennett, industrial heritage artist,
 painting the blacksmiths of 'Wrought Artworks'
 Australian Technology Park Eveleigh Railway Workshops

Enquiries

I exhibited a selection of my paintings of the Blacksmiths of Wrought Artworks as well as paintings of the fascinating interior and Victorian era heritage industrial machinery of the site.
One of the great drawcards of the ATP has been the continual operation of Blacksmith’s shop in Bays 1 & 2 South at the ATP.  From the very beginning it has been seen as maintaining a link to the buildings industrial past. The construction of the ATP had even included the erection of an acoustic wall so that the workshop could continue to function close to the new occupants. However the existance of the Blacksmith's shop was threatened when the Redfern Waterloo Authority served them with a notice to quit by the 30th September 2008. After a successful campaign and Open Day the RWA and the Blacksmiths then signed a Lease that preserved the operating Blacksmiths and recognised the vital importance of heritage preservation in the operations of the Technology Park.
See the history of the campaign to save the blacksmith :
Redwatch "ATP's operating Blacksmith"

Exhibition by Jane Bennett, industrial heritage artist,
painting the blacksmiths of 'Wrought Artworks'
Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh Railway Workshops

Enquiries

 The photos of me in action were taken by Frances Keevil, the Director of the Frances Keevil Gallery.

E83 'Blacksmith forging '
2011 ink pastel acrylic on paper 9 x 10cm  
WINNER 2nd Prize for Miniature Painting 
2011 Royal Easter Show 

Enquiries

E64 The Blacksmith 2011
oil on canvas 75x100cm
Enquiries

 

See "Designer + Blacksmith = Collaborative Effect"

Next year, for a single day on Saturday 25th February 2012, the whole Australian Technology Park will be open to the public.

There will be another forging demonstration and I will have an even larger exhibition of paintings, as well as giving a demonstration of painting the heritage interiors and the blacksmiths.

 Eveleigh paintings

Related posts

Irons in the fire
Watching the forge fires fade
Macdonaldtown - A Station without a suburb
Eveleigh- Industrial Heritage Artist at Work
The village smithy (sydney-eye.blogspot.com)
Time for Safety 
The slow return from the fire 
The fire within 
En plein air with street cred (sydney-eye.blogspot.com)