Unpopular Penguin 448

I’ve been painting these ‘Unpopular Penguins’ for fiveyears now (this is number 448), having a good deal of success with them in galleries and shows. The starting point is the original design of the ‘Penguin classics’ books, transformed and distorted by multiple layers of paint, expressive brushwork, drips and spatters. The composition of this one is more abstract and free-form.

The paintings in this series are held in collections around the world, and have been in various art prizes and prominent Australian galleries. Edmund Capon, former director of the Art Gallery of NSW, said of the first painting in this series, ‘an evocative imagining of the familiar Penguin paperback...it was a painting we all liked very much for its rich texture, its sense of memory and its sort of nostalgic humour’

This painting is on stretched canvas, with painted sides, and it is ready to hand without needing framing. Note that, if you have a particular book in mind, you can contact me to commission one. You can choose the size, book title and colour.

For lovers of art, books, and classic design.

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Painter from the Blue Mountains. I've had paintings in the Sulman Prize 2012‚ Mosman Prize 2012‚ Calleen Art Prize 2013‚ Gallipoli Art Prize 2014 & 2016, Gosford Art Prize 2018 & 2018, the ANL Maritime Art Prize 2018 and the 2019 Hawkesbury Art Prize (winner). In the last nine years I've had a lot of success with abstract paintings, drawing inspiration from the covers of 'Popular Penguin' paperback books, from the classic Monopoly board, Uno cards, and other pop culture icons. The paintings are distorted representations of the subject matter, transformed with thick brushstrokes and often random lettering, retaining the essence of the original but also becoming something new. I have had sell out shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore. My art has been featured in Art Edit magazine, The Grand Designs Australia Sourcebook and the Financial Review. PLEASE NOTE - commissions now closed for 2024. Thank you!