Fleur

Fleur MacDonald's evident fascination with lambs is merely one aspect which is compelling about her compact Kings Cross apartment, which also functions as a working studio. She tells me her two favourite art movements of all time make perfect bed partners here - Bauhaus and Rococo - order and simplicity in abundance...


Being an artist herself hasn't stopped her from admiring and paying good money for other artists' work, and there are hundreds of pieces in this apartment, admittedly not all hanging. There are countless treasures to be marvelled at - Fleur's own work, works by bright young things Jake Walker, Stephanie Monteith and Diablo Mode, as well as more familiar names (Susan Norrie for example) and a few names now almost forgotten


There are so many works in Fleur's apartment - brilliantly hung very tightly to fit as many works in - so I'll only tag a few works here - if you recognise any of these works, please feel free to comment...

One of Fleur's lambs and an older Susan Norrie bear

A Stephanie Monteith painting of a cistern marks the entrance to the bathroom

Artist's tools, storage, another of Fleur's lambs, a Jake Walker interior, a Diablo Mode turntable all fit neatly

A landscape done by Fleur for the Gallipoli Prize

Gina

Emerging artist Gina Bruce invited me to her Randwick home to give me a glimpse of her upcoming show at Robin Gibson Gallery. In this quintessential suburban family home the painter's persona is ever present, especially once entering the backyard garage which has been converted into a studio

A number of watercolour on paper panels on her drawing table in
the studio which will be assembled into one large work

Egg tempera works stacked on a shelf with pieces of canvas and various other tools

Bubble-wrapped and ready for the framer

For the exhibition... an ink work, and a multi-panelled tempera work which may look familiar -
it was hung in the Dobell Prize for Drawing at the Art Gallery of NSW

The artist's tools

A room of one's own...

In the living room four year old May makes her mark next to a recent plein air work by Gina

Robin

Gallery owner Robin Gibson is perhaps a born collector - a visit to his Darlinghurst apartment will attest to this. Having represented some of the leading figures in the Australian art scene and also known for his support of emerging artists, his collection is a true testimony to his passion and eclectic tastes. Seeing as I have regular access to his collection I hope to make this an ongoing post, picking out a few pieces each time - here's your selection for today...

A 1969 portrait of Robin by David Strachan.
Soon after arriving in Sydney in the mid 60s
he did some modelling for the artist David Strachan.
Robin wasn't aware that David had made this portrait until after 
David's death in 1970 when his sister sorting out his estate offered it to him

An ink drawing by Brett Whiteley in a bookshelf housing bound copies of Art & Australia.
The drawing was made as a Christmas gift for Robin
in 1969 while he was working at Kim Bonython's gallery

Roddy

At 77 retired Supreme Court Judge Roddy Meagher's lifetime passion for collecting art is well-known in certain art world circles in Sydney. Well travelled and well educated, Roddy's appetite for art has never waned despite running out of space - he won't hesitate to mention given all the interest in art as investment that he has never contemplated selling anything he has ever bought, for profit or not

Thankfully for us, Roddy has generously bequeathed his collection to the University of Sydney, his old alma mater, and luckily for me being gainfully employed at one of his favourite galleries, I was given a sneak preview of his collection in the place for which they were always intended - his Darling Point home

Although there are many large and colourful works in Roddy's collection, I was totally captivated by the countless intimate works on paper hung salon style in the corridors and stairwell. Side by side are works by European masters, Australian heroes as well as new works by recent graduates from Sydney's National Art School

Charles Conder sketch of Baron Meyer

Brett Whiteley ink drawing

Annabel Butler

James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Maxime Pierre Dethomas

Nicolas de Staël 

Andrew Logan sculpture

Japanese ceramic pots in the foreground and a glimpse
of a portrait of Roddy in the background
by his late wife Penny Meagher 

Tim

At his Northern Beaches family home costume designer Tim Chappel delights in placing his Oscar with his Peter Baka sculpture 'Happily Lost' made of discarded objects, along with his BAFTA and Olivier...

Freshwater Beach - welcoming even on a rainy Spring morning

Addison

Mature age fine arts student Addison Marshall manages to squeeze in works by fellow artists with his own work at his Surry Hills flat... not an easy task given his vast collection of vinyl records and bulging racks of clothes for his venerable vintage clothing stall at the local flee market

Addison's faceted ceramic pods amongst various pieces
including Brendan Smith's painted wooden blocks, all on top of
 a purpose built plywood storage case for his vinyl collection

Addison's hand built pot supports one of Jake Walker's cave watercolours

Architect flatmate Luis Abarca Ibaceta finds some space in his room for
various photographs and books as well as a couple of
Addison's miniature thrown raku pots

Helen

Tim and I decided to celebrate our anniversary this weekend in Bondi so I brought along this little watercolour to help us feel at home

Helen Poyser tackles her fear of sharks (selachophobia) in this watercolour

Tim at work...

Catherine

Painter Catherine Fox in her Redfern home studio madly preparing for her imminent solo exhibition

Catherine Fox oil on board 'Paper & Drape 1'

Carl

Having done my usual trick of waking at 5am this morning for no good reason, I lay there thinking about my new blog. So I decided to post some of the artworks I've acquired that I wake up to in my attic room where I am currently living in a friend's home in Darlinghurst

Gina Bruce ink on paper 'City Ink Drawing'

Justine Varga photograph 'Interior'

Lex Dickson ceramic bowl & platter

Ted Hillyer oil on board 'Man on Striped Towel'

Marisa Purcell tempera on board '#17'

Tania Leimbach monoprint 'Opening'