About the Artist... Michael Leeworthy
you'll never have to work again," applies
A trip to Michael Leeworthy's Red Hill
here. In fact, he says he sometimes feels
art studio is like a trip to the regional
guilty for such sublime self indulgence.
gallery. The exhibit is always changing.
This is a good thing in art.
One of Michael's distinguishing
characteristics as an artist is his
ability to consistently reinvent.
If you visit his studio now, you
will see a series of Australiana
paintings that are such a radical
departure from his previous work
Loosely describing himself as an impressionist
that you'd scarcely know it was
realist, powered by an undaunting passion for sea
the same painter.
themes, Damien Ruffin reserves the right to avoid
It's quite amazing.
slipping into endless self repetition of tried and true
Ask to see the work
He likes to know who buys his work
formulaic images by making pictures in series and
in his archives and
because, "I never take for granted
then moving on.
very few pieces bear
when I sell a painting that someone is
any resemblance to
going to take a little piece of me & hang
This attitude not only allows for spontaneous
any others.
it in their home."
stylistic and narrative changes, but also facilitates
his adoption of a variety of methods and technical
Whether this is a
Michael lives and works in a house and
approaches that the specific work dictates as it
reflection of the
studio that he built with his own hands
grows towards completion.
complexities of
- a source of great satisfaction being the
his character, the
sixth and final house he has built himself.
An inveterate skin diver, Damien sourced the
difference in source of inspiration or some
Michael also teaches art classes from
inspiration for this sequence of fairly large
other motivation, we don't know, but the
his studio helping others to pursue their
format pictures while diving and around the
effect is quite arresting.
passion for art. He hopes he is never
dynamic Port Phillip heads, albeit with a taint of
totally satisfied with his own work as he
abstracted license.
Michael has been painting seriously for
feels his creative journey would then end.
some 20 years now. He says, "Although
"I have an enduring curiosity and fascination with
I can always find fault with my own work,
From the diversity of his work, the end
gannets so they occasionally pop up...as do other
I do not know of any other way that I am
of this road seems unlikely as Michael
animals," he says.
totally at peace with myself. The adage,
appears always to be on the road less
You can view his work at
"Find a job you like doing and
- Andrea Thomas
travelled.
24th Annual
Sorrento Rotary Art Show
SATURDAY 5TH TO
SATURDAY 12TH JANUARY
10AM TO 4PM - ENTRANCE $3.00 PP
F E AT U R E A R T I S T
David Brayshaw
D E M O N S T R AT I O N S
Rodney Symmons
Lyn Mellady
John Bredl
Fiona Pilsbrough
PREVIEW Friday 4th January 6.30pm to 9pm
Champagne Supper · Valuable Door Prizes
Tickets $15pp
Available at Twiggy's Shoes in Sorrento
Proceeds to assist community projects
Damien John Ruffin
Signed limited edition prints & original oil
RT Edgar
on canvas available directly from the artist.
View the full range on the website
SORRENTO COMMUNITY CENTRE
fine art
0419 571 583
MacFarlane Reserve - Enquiries 5984 0885 / 59842217
64
Peninsula Visitor . . . Summer 2007-08
