Risk. Some painters want it in their toolbox while others are terrified by it. But nearly every painter will tell you that you need it in order to move forward in your practice. 
It might be using a new material, drastically altering the composition of a nearly completed painting or creating a completely different body of work to what had previously been commercially successful and critically acclaimed. Any way you look at it, you're leaving yourself open to the possibility of failure, disappointment and probably the most painful of all - ridicule. 

So whether we call it risk, chance, letting go of control or just leaving yourself open to mistakes, it all amounts to a greater openness to creativity. Taking the leap and seeing what happens.

In this episode I bring together clips from eight previous guests about what risk means to them - and how they use it.

See below for a list of the artists together with links to the full podcast conversation and YouTube video

Press 'play' beneath the above image to listen

 	* Vanessa Stockard  Podcast | YouTube
 	* Paul Ryan  Podcast | YouTube
 	* Guy Warren   Podcast | YouTube
 	* Julian Meagher  Podcast | YouTube
 	* Ken Done  Podcast | YouTube
 	* Juliet Holmes a Court  Podcast | YouTube
 	* Tim Maguire  Podcast | YouTube
 	* Joe Furlonger  Podcast | YouTube

 

Watch the Idris Murphy YouTube Video

Listen to the full Idris Murphy podcast interview

Sign up to the TWP newsletter

Book tickets for my conversation with Steve Lopes at the Art Gallery of NSW

 

 

Inspiration from the Archives | Risk

Maria Stoljar talks with Australian painters about how they became an artist, their painting techniques, influences and current work.

Arts

Literature

Performing Arts

Design

Food

Fashion & Beauty

Visual Arts

Podcast listeners click here to view the works
Caroline Zilinsky's paintings freeze pivotal moments in our culture's history, encouraging us to reflect upon our times, whether it's the absurdity, the horror or the humour.
At the risk of being labelled a conspiracy theorist, she's attracted to the dilemmas brought on by the internet era and shines a light on the things that trouble most of us: our loss of privacy, shortened attention, a heightened focus on appearance,  a growing indifference to human suffering and the increasing power assumed by tech giants.
Her paintings often depict a political or social narrative and although she accepts some are too confronting to hang above the sofa, there's something about the levity in her use of line, colour and form which invites us to venture into the darker corners of our culture, causing us to linger and question.
Caroline is also well known for her portraiture and landscape painting. She won the Portia Geach Memorial Award portraiture prize in 2020 (the same year she won the Evelyn Chapman award) and has been a finalist in many others including the Archibald and Darling portrait prizes.
This interview took place at the mid-career survey show of Caroline's work 'Exquisite Cadaver' at the University of Newcastle Gallery. Curated by Gillean Shaw, it was a collection of 40 stunning works spanning over 2 decades. The interview was also filmed and I'll be posting a video, including footage from the exhibition and Caroline's studio, on the TWP YouTube channel in the coming weeks.
Feature photo:  Phillip Antonio Lemos

 	* Caroline Zilinsky on Instagram
 	* Caroline Zilinsky at Nanda\Hobbs
 	* Sign up to the TWP newsletter
 	* TWP YouTube channel
 	* Loading Dock interview
 	* My AGNSW Artists in Conversation interview with Caroline
 	* Ceal Floyer

'Kubla Khan'2022oil on linen107 x 106.7 cm

'Exquisite Corpse'2024Oil on linen

'For Whom the Bell Tolls' 2023oil on linen138 x 138cm

'Faceless The Congressional Hearing of Mark Zuckerberg' 2020oil on linen122 x 122cm

'Man of Few Words'2020Ink on AGNSW archive manila folder30 x 21cm (paper size), 60 x 47cm (framed size)

'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' 2023Oil on linen112 x 122cm

'Plastic Fantastic', 2023oil on linen56 x 62cm

'Refract Back', 2023Oil on linen112 x122 cm

'Too Long; Didn't Read (Universal Declaration of Human Rights)'2023Oil, Oil Stick and Digital Configuration on Canvas97 x 87cm

'Me and Ellie', 2004-2005oil on linen 71 x 454.5cm'My Brother Adrian' oil on linen72.5 x 54cm

 

 

 

Ep 157: Caroline Zilinsky


Podcast listeners click here to see images of the work

Over the years, podcast guests have shared some fascinating back stories to paintings they have made, stories which you could never have guessed just on viewing the work. 

Sometimes that back story has made me look at the work in a totally different way and I’m bringing you another eight artists' works in addition to those in ep 155. 

Click on the artist's name below for the full podcast episode (and any YouTube videos) and see images of the works we talk about below.

 	* Davida Allen
 	* Jacqui Stockdale
 	* Sam Leach
 	* Sam Leach YouTube video
 	* Robin Eley
 	* Peter O'Doherty
 	* Kathrin Longhurst
 	* Tom Carment
 	* Nicholas Harding

Links mentioned in this episode

 	* TWP YouTube channel
 	* Sign up for the TWP Newsletter
 	* TWP Loading Dock video 
 	* NGV Triennial highlights - Instagram reel
 	* Memorial service for Jan Senbergs

I dream of Sam Neill when I go to bed, 1986Davida AllenNational Gallery of Victoria © Davida AllenCollection: National Gallery of Victoria, MelbournePurchased 1986 (P22-1986)

Drawings of George StirlingJacqui Stockdale

George Stirling from the Heads of the Family seriesJacqui Stockdale

Sam LeachMachine-assisted memory of Harewood Farm, Meadowsoil on linen51 x 51 cm

Robin Eley‘Self Portrait’, 2010, oil on Belgian linen, 39″ x 25″Runner Up, Doug Moran portrait Prize, 2010

Peter O'DohertyEdgecliff high rise, 2019, acrylic on canvas, 198x167cm

Kathrin LonghurstPoster Girl, 2011, oil on canvasFinalist Portia Geach Memorial Award, 2011

Tom CarmentWhere I scattered my father's ashes, Oratunga, SAwatercolour on paper45.3 x 52 cm

Nicholas HardingRobert Drewe (In the swell)2006oil on canvas (frame: 140.4 cm x 125.0 cm, support: 138.0 cm x 123.0 cm)Collection: National Portrait Gallery


The Story Behind the Painting (Part 2)

Podcast listeners click here to see images of the works
Over the years, podcast guests have shared some fascinating back stories to paintings they have made, stories which you could never have guessed on merely viewing the work. 
Sometimes that back story has made me look at the work in a totally different way and I’m bringing you a few of those to you in this episode. See images of the works we talk about below.
Links

 	* Tickets for talk with Caroline Zilinsky at the Art Gallery of NSW (Artists in Conversation)
 	* YouTube video - Anthony White
 	* Vincent Fantauzzo podcast episode
 	* Prudence Flint podcast episode
 	* Ben Quilty podcast episode
 	* Scott Bevan podcast episode on William Dobell

2:40    ‘Heath’, 2008, oil on canvas, 106 x 140cm (Collection of the Art Gallery of NSW, highly commended and winner of the Archibald Prize People’s Choice award 2008. Portrait of Heath Ledger)

10:40    ‘Baby’, 2015, oil on linen, 105 x 90.5cm (Finalist in Archibald Portrait Prize 2015)

15:45.  ‘Kandahar’ 2011, oil on linen, 140 x 190cmPhoto: Australian War Memorial

18:00   ‘Captain S. after Afghanistan’ 2012, oil on linen, 210 x 230cmFinalist Archibald Prize 2012Photo: AGNSW/ Mim Stirling

20:30    ‘Margaret Olley’, 1948, oil on hardboard, 114.3 x 85.7 cm boardCollection: Art Gallery of NSWWinner Archibald Prize 1948

23:45.    ‘Storm Approaching, Wangi’, 1948, oil on cardboard on composition board, 32.9 x 56cmWinner Wynne Prize 1948

The story behind the painting: Fantauzzo, Flint, Quilty and Dobell

Podcast guests talk with me about the flow state!

See below for timestamps and links to each guest's full podcast interview and video

3:39 Julie Nicholson and Fiona Verity - Podcast | Instagram video

6:40 Ann Thomson - Podcast | YouTube

7:54 Joshua Yeldham - Podcast | YouTube

10:15 Antonia Perricone Mrljak - Podcast | YouTube

11:25 Wendy Sharpe - Podcast | YouTube

12:51 Lewis Miller - Podcast | YouTube

13:50 Aida Tomescu - Podcast | YouTube

16:30 David Griggs - Podcast | YouTube

17:27 Idris Murphy - Podcast | YouTube

18:40 Kathrin Longhurst - Podcast | YouTube

20:50 Anthony White - Podcast | YouTube (coming soon)

22:07 Bernard Ollis - Podcast | YouTube

23:59 Kim Leutwyler - Podcast | YouTube

25:20 Tim Maguire - Podcast | YouTube

26:40 Belinda Street - Podcast | YouTube

27:58 Yvette Coppersmith - Podcast | YouTube (coming soon)

29:30 Tim Storrier - Podcast | YouTube

31:15 Jacqui Stockdale - Podcast | YouTube

32:02 Sandi Hester - YouTube

Links 

Sandi Hester interview on ...

Inspiration from the archives | The Flow State

Above photo of Jan Senbergs by Riste Andrievski

Click play for my podcast introduction to this interview and scroll down for the transcript.

Podcast listeners click here and scroll down for transcript.

Watch the YouTube video of Jan Senbergs' studio and work here
Links

 	* Jan Senbergs' website
 	* Jan Senbergs on Instagram
 	* Jan Senbergs at Niagara Galleries
 	* Talking with Painters YouTube channel
 	* Talking with Painters on Instagram
 	* Talking with Painters on Facebook
 	* Subscribe to the TWP newsletter
 	* PDF version  of transcript for tablet/desktop 

With over six decades of work as a painter, printmaker and draughtsman, leading artist Jan Senbergs has exhibited in over 50 solo shows and has been the subject of three survey shows including a major retrospective curated by the National Gallery of Victoria in 2016. A rare accomplishment.

His art evolved from early masterly screenprints to large scale paintings and with subject matter as varied as urban and natural landscapes, industrial themes, surreal structures and forms and aerial map-like works. 

This episode has been a long time coming. Covid threw out our plans for an early 2020 meeting but two years later we met in Jan's inspirational studio in Melbourne. His voice has been affected by some health issues and so this episode is coming to you by way of transcript (below) and an intro on the podcast.

As I was setting up my audio equipment on the day of the interview, Jan and I chatted about the time he had spent in London in his 20s. We talked about other Australian artists who were there at that time. That’s where the recording of the interview began.

Jan Senbergs

I was the younger artist who came into that area and I didn't know anybody. I didn't want to bother the local Antipodeans (laughs) so I usually went out by myself. I headed for the National Gallery on one occasion and ran into Arthur Boyd heading there too. We travelled together on the bus from Pimlico to Trafalgar Square. It was very nice because we walked through the Gallery making comments. It's lovely to do that with another painter. We walked past one room and Arthur stopped and said, 'There's a good painting in this room.’ It was a big dog watching over a dying nymph, by Piero di Cosimo. He was such an interesting painter. Afterwards, Arthur suggested we go and have a drink, so we went across the road and had a couple of beers and then he said 'You'll have to excuse me, but I've got to go back home. I've got a few duties there.' We shook hands and I never saw him again. 

Maria Stoljar

You never saw him again?

JS

No, but what was nice about it was the generosity of the older person to somebody younger who had just arrived. 

MS

How lovely. But you knew a lot of famous Australian artists like Fred Williams, for example. He was a friend of yours, wasn't he?

JS

Yeah, I knew Fred. When I first started showing around, I mixed with some of the older artists. At that time there were hardly any younger artists around.

Inspiration from the Archives | Risk

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