This week’s challenge:
Write about your favourite painting. Why do you like it? What’s the story behind it, do you know? And why is it special to you?
One of the things I have learned from age and experience is that anything in the arts and its value is so often held in the eyes of the beholder.
Having a son who is fast becoming a ‘famous’ artist in his own right having sold his work around the world, is his exposure to me of the variety of works all under the heading of art.
Whilst I love his art work and I’m very proud of him, I have my own little gallery of his works, and whilst this weekend I will travel to the Sydney Contemporary Art Fair to see him and his work, which is all sold I have to say and the fair starts today, it was sold some months ago actually, says something about his work doesn’t it…my favourite Australian artist is Darcy Doyle.
The question in this task is why. For me he captures a part of Australia’s past. A time when life was so much different. The above painting of the kids playing cricket in the street with a box for stumps and knowing all you really needed was a bat and a ball. He captures that unique Australian summer in the colours he uses. There is that burnt look about the landscape, the old house with its rusting corrugated roof, the old fence, the over grown yard all go to contribute to the sense of permanence and acceptance of the conditions in which people lived.
He was also very good at showing us the slow pace of life. He painted many images such as this often-depicting aspects of country life. Like the one below of the side street besides the general store showing its aging faded sign for Bushell’s tea and the kids engaged is a carefree game of hop scotch, the parents dressed in Sunday best perhaps on their way home from Sunday church who stop to allow their children to engage in the game with other kids from the neighbourhood.
Again I love so much the landscape, the signs of neglect, the colours of the landscape the old fence that is overgrown in places and broken in other places so much the way it was when people made do with the bare minimum.
I have had many discussions with artistic folk over the years as to the artistic merit of Darcy Doyle and even though he may not be our greatest painter he did record for us all those long lost aspects of country life. I guess too I relate to so many having lived at a time when our playground was the street and other kids back yards. When our games were what we made them, when TV was a distant dream and computers the thoughts of science fiction.
Written for: https://nonsmokingladybug.wordpress.com/2015/09/05/knock-knock-writing-challenge-week-3/
Morpethroad 
You have done Darcy proud with your synopsis of his work my friend.
Thank you Jenny, I do like the images he produced…
as do I 🙂
Well done to your son on selling all the artwork even before the fair starts! I can understand your pride 🙂 I hope it goes well and he receives some more commissions from the display of his work. The Darcy Doyle painting of the kids playing cricket is one of my favourites too, Michael.
His trouble is he gets far too many invitations to exhibit…..which is a good way to be I suppose but it does wear him out…
Oh, he needs to say “no” occasionally. Tell him if he tries to burn the candle at both ends, he’ll run out of wick 🙂
Yes well I think he’s learned that lesson a few times and he is beginning to learn to say no. But I look forward to catching up with him on Saturday…
Bravo to your artist son, Michael–how wonderful that he’s achieved artistic success!!
Thank you Val, I have taught him nothing in his artistic endeavours, so I sit back and admire his success….
Isn’t that marvelous, truly!!
Great paintings! Love it! It brought back memories of kampong lives in Singapore too, especially the hopscotch 🙂
That’s great that you could relate to them…have a great day…
Makes you homesick for yesteryear just looking at them, doesn’t it…
It does indeed. Thanks so much for stopping by.
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Thank you so much for sharing this. I have never heard of the artist, nor have I seen the picture. I like it, I like it a lot. Australia is the only continent that I haven’t seen. I came close and was booked and scheduled as a interpreter at the Olympic games in 2000, but then I had a last minute change of heart and didn’t go. I love to hear more about Australia, the land, the people the culture…everything. Thank your for widening my horizon.
Well ask away and I shall deliver…..apart from our landscape and unique flora and fauna we human inhabitants are just like anyone else lovable in our own unique down under way…pleasure to add my contribution great task to write on….