Painting

…And I’ll Show You Mine.

Painting

In two days the finalists for the Archibald Prize will be announced. I’ve been working on my portrait of Dave since last October. I wanted to paint up ’til the due date to exhaust all artistic possibilities, where I didn’t want to just settle for a painting I was happy with, and I am very aware of the potential magic that 5am brings. It just so happens that my final painting spread it’s wings and ‘became Dave’ somewhere between 3 and 5 in the morning two days before it’s submission. The photograph featured below is my final portrait of Dave on it’s way to meet the packers. It is titled “So Tired!” as it was painted during the last 2 months of Dave’s insomnia and every sitting was organised between trips overseas to perform with Shane for the Umbilical Brothers. It represents the exhaustion of performing in such a physical performance while suffering from insomnia. It also maintains Dave’s sense of humor.

This photo (below) was taken in my studio just before leaving for the gallery. The final decision was between these two works. The other is (also 1m x 2m) titled “Dave Amuck”. It is a reference to the Chuck Jones short “Duck Amuck”  where the animator edits the cartoon as it rolls. It seemed to typify so many of Dave’s characters but in the end we picked “So Tired!” which is coincidentally how I felt at the end of the process.

I’m looking forward to seeing who/what get’s selected. It’s been an eye opening process and what ever happens on Thursday I’m very proud of the work I’ve produced. The play that started it all is having a second run at the Sidetrack Theatre in Marrickville. Tickets are on sale.

Tough Competition for Prestigious Fan Art Competition.

Painting, This is Interesting

As I nervously troll though the internet to look for any other Archibald Prize entries (with the hope that I find 500 shit ones) I came across two really quite interesting approaches to the prestigious portrait prize. This brilliant portrait by Vincent Fantauzzo of Kiwi-born Melbourne-based musician Kimbra who I totally don’t have a crush on, shut up that ‘effigy’ of her I made from my baby teeth, seaweed and those pumpkins is just how I display my pumpkins okay!… The portrait by Vincent Fantauzzo is accompanied by a music video he made and it is all very, very cool.

Speaking of cool people I have a crush on, Father Bob McGuire was painted by stencil artist Luke Cornish. It uses over 100 stencil layers and it will be an interesting contender this year. Street-art is getting recognised in the fine arts more and more and Cornish proves that it is a legitimate art-form with this detailed, striking portrait of Fr Bob. Cornish talks about the process in This video article from the ABC website.

The list of finalists will be released THIS THURSDAY!

Archibald Entry Submitted…

Painting

Two bottles of Irish Whiskey, half a bottle of rum, two cases of beer, an insufficient amount of sleep and three months later… My Archibald entry is complete. Dave Collins came around to my studio today, I made a shortlist of portraits and we decided together which one was to be submitted. I was very proud of the shortlist and was delighted with my final submission. More importantly Dave has given it his tick of approval.

Dave was a dynamic person to paint. It’s rare to get a subject who holds so much character in his entire body. The painting is life-size and quite bold. I decided not to feature it in the photo above because it’s a full on nude it’s best displayed on a gallery wall… an art gallery wall… an Art Gallery of New South Wales wall… eh eh. Come on Edmund Capon we have the same name!

You will all find out by the end of the month if I’m in the shower crying.

I now have a studio full of David Collins portraits, it looked a little obsessive for a while there. I was told that I should take a break right after I made a portrait of Dave out of mashed potato.

Fingers crossed.

So… Ya like roller-skatin’ ?

Painting

It was O – week this week at UNSW. Fellow artist and comedian Nick Capper joined me to offend as many fresh faced first year students as we could. I’ve been hired as a caricaturist for charity events and functions before, it’s great fun and I get to show people how ugly they really are combine portraiture and cartooning.

Here you go kid – Enjoy… Your nose does look like that. It’s an interesting nose man – congratulations. Hey look you’ll grow in to it. At least you don’t look like Adrian Brody over there OHMANTHAT’SYOURDAD?! YOUNEEDTOBUYMOREDISTRACTINGNECKTIES!

Happy Birthday – You Just Became My Hero.

Design, Painting

So, is it your birthday coming up? Why not get a personalised comic book cover why not! You will have to ask your friends to contact me with some pictures of yourself and you will first have to be a really good friend to deserve something this cool.

The design featured above is a hand painted design I did for my friend Nick’s Christmas present. He always wanted to see what it would look like if a non-fictional character tried to blast his fictional ass away! He also asked if I could find someone with a similar last name just to make it interesting.

Or for those of you that just want a very specific gift to give, you could get this for your very deserving, very non-fictional friend. Just contact me and we can talk shop.

Excelsior!

Ed

Archibald or Bust!

Painting

After working on a play at the Old Fitzroy Theatre last year I got to know the cast and crew of In The Air Tonight – a play by Paul Ayre. Dave Collins, who is known for being “the one with hair” in the Umbilical Brothers, was a lead actor. Dave was a fan of my work and I have always been a fan of his… We had a beer after the show and to cut a long story short… I now know Dave’s face better than I know my own. He is the subject for my Archibald Prize entry this year. We have had a number of sittings and I have done a number of paintings and sketches and have drunk a number of beers in the process.

At Shelf Life

Painting, This is Interesting

In the tradition of 14th century artist Salvator Rosa and my Kindergarten teacher Mr Fagastrom. My entry for this years Shelf Life exhibition is a combination of art-forms to create something too kitsch for it’s own good. The exhibition runs until December 4. Drop by to see it in the flesh… or pasta.


“San Remo (after Salvator Rosa)” Acrylic and gold leaf on board, lasagna, shell pasta, cannelloni and bow-tie pasta.