Saturday 26 November 2016

A Touch of Chaos



Sunday 27 November 2016. 3.30pm

Some more flirtations with a chaotic palette and scrappy resolution.

A sleeper-cutter’s Cat in the Maquarie Marshes, originally drawn over a year ago.


“A-62”
900x600          20/11/2016

And a distant view of the Acland coal mine itself –


“No Hope Stage 2”
900x600          21/11/2016

Friday 11 November 2016

Western Wanderings



Friday 11 November 2016, 5pm

I’ve finally got around to photographing the charcoals I did out west.

My first drawing was the historic Noccundra Pub, beyond Thargo on the Wilson River. It’s hopefully the first in a series of outback pubs.


"Noccundra Pub, Est. 1882”
600x450          21/8/16

After retreating from the rain at the Dig Tree and a flooding Cooper, I drew this after things dried out a bit –

“North of Augathella”
900x600          25/8/16

And eventually found my way to Muttaburra. Thought I owed it to Tom Spence to check out his birthplace. Predawn light -

“The Long Lagoon, Muttaburra”
900x600          27/8/16

A few hundred k’s further on, drew the view from the “Age of the Dinosaurs’ jumpup. Winton was about 20k away near the horizon.

“Towards Winton”
900x600          28/8/16

Drew one of the local Theropods while I was up there. Banjo’s bones are the only evidence so far of carnivorous dinosaurs in Australia. This is probably a Stumkat creation, most of the sculptures out this way seem to be his work.

“Banjo”
600x450          28/8/16

A couple of days later on the way to Lark’s Quarry saw some more appealing jumpups.

“Jumpup Southbound”
900x600          30/8/16

And a couple of drawings at Lark’s Quarry, site of the awesome dinosaur stampede.

“Spinifex Country”
600x450          30/8/16


“Dinosaur Jumpup”
600x450          30/8/16

Meanwhile in Winton, some more archaeology (back to the 50’s) inside Searle’s Gentleman’s Outfitters 


“Searles of Winton”
600x900          30/8/16

Then back on the road again –


“Approaching Middleton”
900x600          1/9/16

And another historic pub, this one being one of the Cobb and Co. stops between Winton and Boulia – the middle town

“Middleton Pub, Est 1876”
600x450          1/9/16

And some more fossils at Boulia

“Boulia Fish-Lizard”
600x450          3/9/16

Had to head north from Boulia, the road west was washed out again. Dajarra had a lot to offer

“Predawn, Dajarra Dam”
900x600          4/9/16


“Dajarra Rocks 1”
600x900          4/9/16

"Dajarra Rocks 2”
900x600          4/9/16

Through Mt Isa to the sanctuary of Lawn Hill Gorge and another predawn. The start of croc country –

“Adels Grove, Lawn Hill”
900x600          8/9/16

Then another predawn across the bottom of the Gulf. I was getting up early to avoid the heat –

“Leichardt River – no sign of Leichardt”
900x600          9/9/16

After a couple of days around the Gulf I started heading south and spent a night at Porcupine Gorge near Hughenden. One early morning drawing, followed by a rather warmer one near noon.

“Porcupine Gorge”
900x600          14/9/16


“The Pyramid, Porcupine Gorge”
600x900          14/9/16

Some more fossils at Hughenden, this one the plant-eating Muttaburrasaurus. Missed the centenary of Duchamp’s Fountain by one year –


“R. Mutt, 2016”
450x600          14/9/16

Finished off with a nocturne and yet more rain on a side road south of Emerald. Named this one in honour of the hordes of mozzies.

“Mosquito Creek Nocturne”
900x600          17/9/16

Wednesday 9 November 2016

Restorer’s Dream



Thursday 10 November 2016, 4pm

This painting was started at Acland on the morning following the census. An old miner’s cottage still standing in the centre of town, surrounded by cyclone fencing. Why it survives is anyone’s guess.

I resisted the impulse to calm it down.


“Restorer’s Dream”
900x600          8/11/2016