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| 'Self portrait with an ice cream', oil on board, 60cm x 76cm. |
There's a time when every artist has to be honest. There are bills to pay and the only way to pay them is to work ... and it's usually not art-related work. So that's my excuse for a lack of output so far in 2017.
However, I did find time to paint my first serious self portrait. Although maybe a 40 year old man about to eat an ice cream isn't entirely serious. For some time now I have been interested in looking at people in profile. It stemmed from arriving at a portraiture class a bit late - the only spot left was looking at the sitter from the side. There's the quality of an unguarded moment in a profile: no staring back, just the chance to look at someone at ease. I also enjoy the slightly comical moments in life and eating ice cream and wearing hats always makes me smile.
I was very honoured that this painting was selected as one of the 70 finalists in the 3rd Royal South Australian Society of Arts SALA Biennial Portrait Prize.
