A thousand words behind every portrait

ENGAGEMENT with the subject he is painting has led Ballarat artist Thomas Delohery to his latest piece nominated for a major art award.

The visual artist’s portrait of Australian actor Ryan Corr is in the running for the Percival Portrait Painting Prize.

He will also be submitting another portrait of the Kangaroo star into the prestigious Archibald Prize.

Delohery reached out to Corr on social media and the pair combined to produce a collection of work.

The artist, who has post traumatic stress disorder after an injury, was impressed how the actor had in film The Water Diviner portrayed the condition.

“Ryan gave me an hour and a half of his time, which was lovely,” he said.

He has a portrait of Corr ready for the Archibald, but said there was no guarantees on its success given the level of competition in Australia.

“And I did get into the Percival four years ago with actor Jared Harris who sat for me,” he said. “But I didn’t get in two years ago because I mean, there’s that level of competition.

“So the idea of better luck next year, it’s more like better luck two years, or in this case, four years. I was beyond delighted to get into the Percival.”

Delohery has painted well-known figures such as actors Anthony LaPaglia and Lachy Hulme, and holocaust survivor Henri Korn.

He completes research into his subjects before meeting them so he can present an interpretation of the many different sides of whom he is painting.

“I’ve always been fascinated by people in general, and especially conversations,” he said.

“If I can get them talking about something they’re passionate about, I’m going to see the real side of them.

“And you know what they say, the picture tells a thousand words, but we were told in university which thousand words.”

Delohery will attend the Percivals in Townsville on 23 May with his wife, performance artist Sandra Minchin-Delohery.

“It’s just really exciting to get into the Percivals,” he said. “Especially when you start looking at the calibre of the other finalists.

“You realise that you’re in good company but you’re also in company there of artists that you admire and that in itself is a good feeling.”