Painted animals published, from A to Z

LAST year, visual artist Tim Sedgwick began painting a series of watercolour animals with acrylic backgrounds.

“The first animal I painted was an armadillo, the next was a bear, and the next was a crab,” he said.

“I realised I’d painted animals beginning with A, B, and C, so I thought, let’s do an A to Z of animals.”

Sedgwick went home, did his research to decide which animals he would like to focus on for each letter, and week-by-week, finished a painting.

When all the pieces were complete, developed with support from Sedgwick’s mentor Geoff Bonney, they decided the artworks would be perfect for a picture book.

With funding from Arts Access Victoria, Tim Sedgwick’s Amazing Animal Alphabet has been published, featuring diverse creatures, from an earwig to a humpback whale.

“It helped me remember the ABCs,” he said. “L is for lobster, and that’s my favourite, because there’s a song called Rock Lobster.

“I like the Q page, quoll, and N, numbat, because some people have never seen them before.

“It would be good if people show the book to their children so they can learn these animals and learn the alphabet.”

The book has its own glossary at the back to help readers, particularly kids, understand a bit more about each animal featured, one of which has come from the mind of the artist himself.

Sedgwick’s 26 alphabet animal works, some bigger paintings, and small sculptures are currently on display at Art Hall Learmonth, next to Cafe Sidra. An official book launch was held there last month.

“I had a great time. I saw a lot of people there, and many I don’t get a chance to see very often,” he said.

Sedgwick’s musical mentor Geoff Hassall, and Pat McCabe, had Art Hall rocking at the launch, playing the B-52’s own Rock Lobster, and the exhibition was officially opened by the artist’s uncle, painter Steve Sedgwick.

Art Hall will be open tomorrow, Saturday, 3 December, from 12pm to 3pm.

Books and cards will be available for purchase there, and at the Buninyong Pop-Up Shop now on until Friday, 9 December.

Profits from the book will go towards a home studio for Sedgwick.

He also continues to work on his science fiction movie Stargateway, which will be complete soon, and he also said would like to publish another book.