I had decided to wait for a while before visiting the Sidney Nolan retrospective in Sydney. Nolan is my favourite Australian painter and I didn't want the press reviews of the show to colour how I took the exhibition in. On the whole it is a great retrospective. Some rare works of very high quality are included in the show and the selection of the Kelly paintings includes some stunning pieces that are outside of the main series and have a claim to be of equal if not greater strength. I was however saddened to see that the Gallipoli paintings were not represented. If some of the late China works were left out there would have been space for several of the best paintings from this important series. What the retrospective does show off is the sheer depth of Nolan's vision - what an imagination! I will collect my thoughts over the next few days and add a new post concentrating on some highlights. If Sidney Nolan is an artist who you have felt unsure of I urge you to visit this beautiful exhibition!

Posted in: Exhibition Reviews

I suspect that the first piece of art that an Australian collector purchases is often a Leunig print. Michael Leunig's etchings, lithographs and engravings have a rare combination of high artistic quality and wide accessibility that make them a great starting point for people who are interested in collecting art. Indeed it is their obvious popularity that can sometimes obscure their excellent artistic value. Leunig has an exceptional sense of line and even more importantly a truly original artistic vision. A framer I use who works with some of Australia's most well respected artists often comments on the high quality of a Leunig print or painting that I have sent in for framing. If you are looking to start building a collection of Australian art perhaps the first piece you should consider is a Leunig print.

Posted in: Collecting Art