My grandfather, a Melbourne art collector, owned paintings by John Olsen, Arthur Boyd and Brett Whiteley amongst others. He also had 19th Century British landscapes including Clarkson Stanfield and Samuel Prout. His art collection fascinated me.<\/p>\n
As a cartoon enthusiast, I was included in Larry Pickering\u2019s book Cartoons by Australian Kids<\/em> and presented to the Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.<\/p>\n Later, in Europe, I was inspired by artists copying famous paintings in art museums.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Can you describe your style? <\/strong><\/p>\n My painting style is Romantic Plein air landscapes.<\/p>\n After graduating with a BA (fine art) La Trobe University, Bendigo, I began employment at the Bendigo Art Gallery (1987-88).<\/p>\n I was intrigued by the 19th century collection of landscape paintings including Louis Buvelot and the French Barbizon School.<\/p>\n In 1992-93 I did my MA (fine art) with a post-modernist theme to copy in situ Barbizon School landscapes held in the Bendigo gallery collection.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Why did you choose landscapes as your subject?<\/strong><\/p>\n My mother was a great international traveller and together we explored the landscapes of many countries.<\/p>\n Teaching in regional schools; the journey driving to these places inspired me to do countless pen and ink drawings of the landscape.<\/p>\n I conducted a survey of people visiting the Bendigo Art Gallery. The majority expressed interest in the genre of landscape.<\/p>\n Which artists inspire you?<\/strong><\/p>\n The French 17th century classical landscape painter Claude Lorrain\u2019s space, light and grand design combined with an evident Japanese Kano School influence has inspired me.<\/p>\n My assertion of this theory was the basis of my Ph.D (fine art) thesis, informed by 15 years residency in Japan (1994-2010).<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n What have you been working on lately? <\/strong><\/p>\n Recently I collected an antiquarian copy of the five volumes of John Ruskin\u2019s Modern Painters<\/em> 1843.<\/p>\n This insightful analysis of Romantic landscape painting has fuelled an enthusiasm, a spirit of connectivity for the infinity of earth and sky.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve also been executing small landscapes and studies of eucalyptus trees, skies, rocks and water reflections. I\u2019m combining these to create large Romantic views of the central Victorian landscape.<\/p>\n COVID-19 has caused me to postpone my plans to travel and exhibit in Japan and New York. It has also delayed a commission to paint a view of a castle in Scotland for a Ballarat art collector.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/bendigotimes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Master-landscape-artist-Dr-Jeff-Woodger-247x300.jpg\")