Created at The Artshole and presented to Sally Bourke in Newcastle after a 14 hour long road trip. I managed to find some time to put this “The Painter” together as a thank you for all the unbelievable support Sally has provided me over the years. She’s been a huge inspiration and support over my career and many others, and is one of the most underrated and unappreciated creatives that the Hunter Valley has.
Giving me opportunities to grow and thrive through direct and indirect actions in my previously adopted home of Newcastle, Australia, I can not describe just how big an impression Sally has left on me. She’s influenced my creative career path through here pride, tenacity and strength in the face of many skeptics, whether it be over festivals she’s run for the benefit of the Newcastle community, or being an unspoken hero for independent artists across the Hunter.
I used mixed media, including aerosol spray paint (sigma 80), house-paint, acrylics, and sweat and tears, to put this painting together. I’m pretty darned proud of it in the end and Sally was all smiles when I delivered it in person as part of a surprise visit.
