As well as a broadcaster, Richard is a journalist with a weekly column in The Sydney Morning Herald and he is also a writer with 12 published titles to his credit.

The painting shows Richard at his coffee table surrounded by some of the important things in his life – his notebooks,a microphone, a teacup, a book by one of his favourite writers and an Elvis LP.The words in the background detail his occupation, events in his life, many of the books he has written and mentions his partner Debra whom he calls Jocasta in his writings.
I felt it appropriate to have words in a painting of a person who is a lover of language and literature who makes his living from words both spoken and written.

Professor Parker is one Australia’s most highly respected Psychiatrists and is the Founder/Director of the black  Dog Institute , associated with the University of NSW,  that conducts research into and treatment of Depression, Bipolar and Mood Disorders.

The portrait was commissioned by the Black Dog Institute through a generous donation by Mr Albert Hunt & family.

My next commission is a retrospective double portrait where one of the pair died 9 years ago so the subjects will be portrayed as they would have appeared 11 years ago.

This a good challenge for a portrait painter and I am looking forward to it but I know it will present quite a few difficulties and will mess with my mind …… I may need to consult Professor Parker before it is finished.

Rejection feels like:    it has cost an arm and a leg
being poked in the eye with a sharp stick
being emasculated
having your heart ripped out
and being left completely gutted!

Mary, with Father Woods, founded the Josephite
Order of Nuns dedicated to educating all children
regardless of their social class, colour or
financial situation and to provide spiritual and
practical help for the poor and needy.

If this image meets with general approval, a
limited edition print will be produced.

This Icon, Our Lady of Vladimir Icon and my
Evolutionary Trinity Icon can be viewed in the
Figurative  Gallery on this website.

The Mortimore is a competition for realist artworks in seven categories …..drawing, portrait, landscape, waterscape, still life, small works and sculpture. It is now considered one of the major art prizes in the Australian Art Calendar and with total prizemoney  of $40,000 it is attracting many of Australia’s best artists and I regard myself as extremely lucky to win in such a strong field.

The conditions of the prize state that the portrait must be
a true, realistic representation of the subject and entry is
by a photograph of the painting plus a photograph of the
subject for comparison.

The award attracts many of Australia’s top professional
portrait painters and this year there were two Archibald
winners and 10 multi- Archibald and Doug Moran
finalists  in the 34 artists selected.

Alexandra 2010            Oil on canvas   100x75cm

The painting shows the Author seated in his front garden with his dog Burkey.

My aim was to convey Fitzy’s mass ( he is 2 metres tall and solidly built), to capture the “don’t mess with me look in his eyes” and to also display his gentler side by including his dog.

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