My 2019 Archibald Prize
Detail of my 2019 Archibald Prize Entry I will publish the full painting after the 2nd of May when the finalists are told they are in or out. Here I am after literally five months working on this portrait. My subject is Alan Milne. He was executive manager of 747 at Qantas Airways for many years, ending his time with Qantas during the time it took me to paint this painting. Alan is now Managing Director of Air Niugini living in Port Moresby. I chose Alan because of a couple of reasons. The first being he is a person of Arts and Letters a requirement of the rules to enter the Archibald Prize. Australia's preeminent Art Prize with $100,000 as first prize so you can imagine every man and his dog who can hold a paint brush wants to enter. And generally that is what does happen. The other reason is because I want to pay homage to the Queen of the skies the 747 which turned fifty this year 2019. The same year that Qantas will be ceasing its long association with the 747 airc