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Issue No. 135 | 10 May 2002 |
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The Costs of War
Interview: Squaring Off Industrial: Heroes Betrayed History: At The Coalface International: Wobblies With Chinese Characters? Politics: Dancing with Trotsky Economics: You Are What You Eat Poetry: Alexander's Bragtime Band Satire: Stott Despoja Celebrates Engagement With Minor Party Review: Painting Paradise
The Soapbox The Locker Room Postcard Bosswatch Week in Review Tool Shed
 Heaps and Heaps of Hate MailNo ChoiceWho Rules Australia?No Wrap for Song Comp Abbott's Contempt
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Review Painting Paradise
***************** As a regular visitor to Currawong, the Labor Council's holiday cottages on Sydney's Northern Beaches, I have on several occasions had the chance to have a chat with Curawong's resident artist, Sophie Haythornthwaite. Sophie is the daughter of David and Margaret , Currawong's managers. I took the opportunity to discuss with Sophie some of the issues which she faces in her chosen profession. I found a lot of parallels with wider workplace issues and gained a better insight into what motivates and inspires an artist given the difficulty of surviving in the madness of this dog eat dog world of unencumbered rationalist capitalism. I wondered what motivated Sophie to paint portraits, landscapes and still life in a day and age where most people are struggling to get decent wages and working conditions, pay their bills, afford their mortgages, a decent education and reasonable health. Why not just take a photo? Was I looking at privilege personified? Far from it. Q: How did you first decide that you wanted to follow this unconventional path? A: I had always wanted to be a painter, but I realised that the type of training I wanted was not available in Australia. I did my research and found that there are only a few schools in the world that teach the old master techniques in the way they were taught 500 years ago. I set my heart on a particular school in Italy and after 5 long hard years of slog ( waitressing, cooking in cafes, babysitting, cleaning, ironing and working at youth hostels) I finally got the funds together. I almost didn't get there at all as a caf� I was working for owed me a large amount of wages and were refusing to pay. Enter LHMU to save the day! I ended up getting a scholarship at the school and also eventually taught there myself. I still make all my own paints and canvases as I was taught there.... I ship special materials in from Italy! Q: Now that you are a fully trained professional, do you still see the need for a union? A: Absolutely!!!! Recently I had an unscrupulous gallery cut a large piece off one of my paintings without consulting me, in order to please a client! They removed my signature as well. The client did not end up buying the picture, and when I questioned their actions they basically told me to get lost! The same gallery had withheld cheques, neglected to tell me when works sold, and had taken up to 65% commission on my work. Because I am self employed I have to be even more careful about who I deal with. Thankfully most of my galleries are very ethical unlike this one! My position is also vulnerable because I am not covered for sick leave, holidays, or workers compensation.... I can't get a home loan either because my income is irregular! It's a very shaky existence! Q: Bearing all this in mind, why did you choose to specialise in what would seem to be a very unprofitable form of art... traditional portraiture? A: It seems a long shot I know, but portraiture is actually very popular in Europe and America where there is a long tradition of family and corporate portraiture. I was hoping it would take off in Australia also. Luckily this hunch has proved correct... I have been painting commissions constantly since my return from Italy. People commission works of their children, their parents, themselves.... It keeps me busy! I have had several exhibitions of still life and landscape paintings which have sold very well also...It would seem that in a modern world where the main art trend is abstraction and conceptualism, the average person still prefers realism! Q: The killer question... why not just take a photo? A: Lots of people ask that! A painted portrait is different because it is painted over several sittings and so captures many aspects of the person's looks and personality, it captures someone at a certain time of their life, not just a fleeting moment. Because of the paint techniques, things like the texture of skin and hair and the sparkle in eyes or a slight smile can all be captured... the final effect is very lifelike, more so than a photo. A case in point is a portrait I did of my cousin. The picture is in his mother's house and his dog sits in front of it all the time and barks and whines at it! I value the dog's opinion more than most contemporary critics! Q: What are you working on now? A: As well as several portrait commissions coming up, I am painting for a four person still-life show in late May at Charles Hewitt Gallery in Paddington , and then a solo show of portraits, landcapes and still lifes at the Hughenden Hotel in July. All welcome! Sophie can be contacted on (02) 99731960 Or mailto:sophie_hay@ hotmail.com Upcoming exhibitions Charles Hewitt Gallery 300 Glenmore Rd, Paddington 23 May- 17 June 2002 Hughenden Hotel 14 Queen St , Woolahra 1-31 July 2002 Currawong holiday cottages There are 9 cottages at Currawong with each built for a family of 4. There is also Midholme, the large heritage homestead available with preference for weekly bookings. Please call David or Margaret on (02) 99744141.
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