A register is available through this site (in the Gallery Section) if you wish to list any artworks that you may have purchased over the years from this artist. Please email me and if possible could you send clear digital images.
Do you still teach and are you still able to coach senior students?
No and Yes! Although I have now formally retired from teaching I do still coach VCE students/ Tafe (from 16 to 60) etc. for several months in the year. At other times I have helped students that have made formal contact but it is my intention now to attempt to help people by concentrating on the ‘TechUNique’ section of this website. Contact me if you have any questions or problems with media etc. or need advice. If I don’t have the answer someone else is sure to have it.
http://www.ambientdesign.com/artragedown.html
This free download is a very fluid and artist friendly program. It is a virtual studio where you can experiment with a range of media. Any aspiring artists or students who may like some help are invited to email their masterpieces to this site for assistance or comment. Remember your finished work must be saved before you email it.
You can also scan compositional drawing, drafts or email photos to us for assistance or comment.
Am I able to buy work by the artist from this website and where prices are quoted is that a fixed price?
Yes! You are able to buy works subject to availability. Availability may be subject to pieces of work being included in current exhibitions or on leasing arrangements to larger corporations. Prices that are quoted in places invariably refer to a recent exhibition price and would have included a percentage amount to cover Commission on sale and in some cases framing where appropriate. General rule of thumb is that prices here WILL BE cheaper direct from this site as commission does NOT have to be paid. All prices quoted include GST. Always make contact by email or phone before considering any purchase or investment.
Why do some of the works that are still available from 70’s and 80’s cost more money and why does the cost vary?
Most of the works from these years were produced in series and would have been first exhibited as such in either a group, individual exhibition or gallery. There are 3 main factors. Firstly, the prices are set by what people are prepared to pay for what they may perceive to be a rare piece that may be the last in a series. The artist in this case has released for sale some pieces that would now be pretty rare given their age. Secondly, some people and collectors paid what they perceived to be a fair price for a work 20 to 30 years ago and it would not be fair or ethical to place cheaper pieces back on the market that would devalue any perceived investment they feel they may have made in a piece at the time they purchased it. Thirdly there has been some movement on the secondary market and some pieces that were originally sold at exhibition have actually appreciated as they have changed owners – in one case up to three times.
Why are measurements always given in Metric as well as the old imperial and what are the commonly accepted symbols?
Metric measurement is the accepted form of measurement in Australia. However many collectors, tourists and business people live elsewhere such as America or England. Also many (nearly all) the professional artist materials and over 90% of Picture Frame Mouldings are made in countries that do not have the metric system so that feet and inches are the accepted norm. There are 12 inches to I foot and the acceptable symbols for Foot are ‘ (one stroke) and Inches “ (two strokes).
All Metric measurement is expressed in millimetres –mm. Personally I believe mm’s are to small for a standard measurement- probably centimetres would have been better. Of course there are no absolute ways in converting imperial to Metrics and it all ends up rather messy! Just think 1 Inch = 2.5cms. and 1 Foot = 30cms.
What are ‘Stock Sizes’ and who determines them?
Stock sizes in professionally stretched Canvas and Boards, especially if they are imported, AS WELL AS PICTURE FRAMES are often expressed first in ‘Imperial Measurement’. E.g. 24” X 20” (610mm X 508mm)
From Smallest to largest there used to be an English Standard that we followed and later an American Standard. Starting at 6”X4” – 9’X7” - 10” X 8” - 12”X10” - (11”X14”)US – 12”X16” – 20”X16” – 18”X24”(US) 24”X20” - 20”X 30”(US) - 24”X30” - 24’X36” - 36”X48” (3’X4’) 72”X48” (6’X4’) 96”X48” (8’X4’).
Until recently many paper sizes were based on a bale size of 30”X40”. Some Canvas Papers and Water Colour papers are still sold in ‘Quarto’ and ’Foolscap’. Quarto is just under A4 and Foolscap is just a bit longer than A4. Foolscap was once larger and derived it’s name ‘Fools Cap” from a watermark that was present in the paper – usually a Court Jester profile with the fools cap on. Just a nice bit of trivia!
Could you please explain the meaning of some of the mediums viz. ‘acrylic emulsion’ ‘marble dust/chips’ ‘stabilised mediums’, ‘stabilised board etc’, ‘neat mounted canvas’ and ‘lacquers’?
From the early 1970’s I was fortunate in discovering the merits of professional grade acrylic colour systems initially through Ed Marcus (Marcus Art Centre) and then through ‘Liquitex’©. Some of the systems used a milky type solution of plain acrylic emulsion to which was added a variety of pigments. As their ranges expanded so too did the pre – mixed colours available. The general consensus at that time was that acrylics dried too quickly and that this would not allow the re – working of areas which had been one of the advantages of oils. For a while this was a problem. Very soon ‘retarding mediums’ were developed that allowed drying in some cases to take up to 20 to 28 days. Acrylics of course are a by-product of the Plastics Industry and DO NOT have organic properties of the binders you would find in traditional oils i.e. Linseed Oil and Poppy Oil. Along with this, when they were painted onto such organic materials as Cotton or Flax canvas the susceptibility to insect, organism and fungal attack was greatly increased.
Liquitex initially developed a ‘Modelling Medium’ that could be mixed into any of it’s colour ranges – which was essentially ground up Marble Dust suspended in Acrylic emulsion allowing the artist develop thick textures – which essentially allows for rich and well defined Impasto painting.
Any flexible boards such as the Stock Size Canvas Boards MUST be stabilised with a backing Board to stop warping in conditions of varying humidities otherwise cracking of the ‘foundation’ may occur at any time. The board I initially used was 5 ply – although in later years I have made all my own Rigid Canvas boards by stretching the Canvas across Graded Marine ply – although more expensive, I know that this is stable, will never warp and is waterproof by it’s very process.
All stretched canvas above the size of 48”X36’(1200mmX 915mm) are stretched or mounted ‘NEAT’ across the edges of the stretcher which has to be heavy duty (given the size and tensions) and then ‘wrapped across the back of the stretcher, especially at the corners where movement in various climates is at it’s extreme. As a general rule the finished painting is continued ‘around’ the side obviating the need for external framing.
Finally ‘Lacquers’ can refer to a variety of brands – but in later years I have followed the traditional method of using oil based lacquer (Matt or Gloss) across the top of water based mediums which protects the actual painting. These can be removed at any time and re–applied in any of the established cleaning process. Of course the opposite should never happen! Water based mediums should never be used across the top of an oil foundation.
Do you still accept commissions, in what areas, and how do you calculate cost?
Yes! I still accept Commission work in almost all areas – especially specialised Props, Scale Models for Developers or Local Govt , Character ‘Animals’ and obviously Paintings.
However I Will never again design, build or promote another Festival type Community or Moomba like Float for nothing for reasons that may have more relevance when the final chapter of the ‘Karmai’ story is written, but I do still provide smaller thematic characters to Community groups that I feel are more deserving and am presently working on 2 at present still FREE of labour costs BUT NOT materials.
There are a number of ways that costs can be calculated depending on whether it is a Corporation/Business, Local Govt. agency, Community group/Amateur Theatre or Individuals. These range from a fixed ‘all up’ price to an agreed daily or ‘interval’ rate, right down to an hourly rate depending on the complexity of the project.
Over the years I have consistently demonstrated effective outcomes with lowered costs due to the long experience and materials that I have developed that actually reduce hours of production. Contact me and be surprised!
I have a painting I purchased at your second Exhibition in 1975 for $100.00. Has it appreciated in price and what would it now be worth?
I am the last person in the world to ask! I DO NOT value past work that has been sold at past exhibitions as a matter of ethics or policy. It also depends on what particular piece you purchased as some series in those years seem to be more sought after than others. Any Seascapes of South Gippsland beaches from those years are still popular as well as a series called ‘Joe an’ Edna’ which I gather now are quite rare. I have been surprised at times to hear of pieces going to Auction and others in private sales. Find an art dealer you can trust or look in the ‘ Gallery Guide’ or send it to Auction if you wish to find out. As always Market Forces prevail – it’s a matter of what someone else is prepared to pay. You may be pleasantly surprised or disappointed but one guarantee I can give you is that you’ll get back more than you paid for it!
Have you kept a register of your art works over the years so that their provenance can be verified?
I am contacted from time to time about previous work that has been sold in private sales as distinct from exhibitions. The only complete register I hold would be for work sold in private or most group exhibitions. Private sales and commissions are a bit of a problem. I am aware that for some reason that escapes me that at the ‘Grass’ exhibition in 1974 I sold 2 paintings of the ‘Tarwin River’ that for some reason were NOT signed. On investigation it was found that they had been reframed and that the signatures had been ..‘cut off’.. in the process. I was able to verify these for the people and provided a written certificate of their authenticity. Also a resident in that area wanted me to paint…’some more’.. without wanting to undertake a formal commission agreement. I explained that I have moved along since that time and suggested she take out a ‘wanted’ ad. In the local paper as I could assure her that I had at one stage I had produced 22 paintings of that area.
Sometime in the 1980’s I was made aware that paintings and Drawings were stolen from an exhibition. Did you ever retrieve them?
Yes! Over the years I am aware of 3 paintings and a set of drawings that have either been removed from group exhibitions or stolen from printers. The main painting I would like traced AND RETURNED strangely enough is shown below
A REWARD HAS BEEN OFFERED FOR THE RETURN OF THIS PAINTING
‘The Sweeping Bend In the Swamp Grass’ – Tarwin Series signed and dated 1973 measuring 4’X3’ (1200mmX915mm)
As far as we can ascertain the painting was removed at the end of the ‘Grass’ exhibition in 1974 and was never been seen again. Over the years there were reports of it hanging in one of the local hospitals etc. but it still remains missing. It is quite large and would be very noticeable to the eye given the rich treatment of colours.
SOME of the original drawings for the Karmai Story Book (see Karmai) were stolen or removed either on their way back from the ‘Victorian Printers’ (Blackburn Victoria) in early 1980. They were never sold or exhibited and are approximately 1/3 again the size of the finished book (First Edition).
