The Art and Craft South Coast New South Wales website represents and offers for sale, the art, craft and photographic works of members of the various Art and Craft societies, Associations and Galleries on the New South Wales South Coast of Australia.

This website is dedicated to the memory of Eric Kirkland. South Coast Pastel Society (SCPS) members remember Eric’s generosity in sharing his knowledge and helping others develop their skills and understanding of pastel painting. At one time he was president of the society. Read more

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Featured Artwork: "Such is Life"
by Brian Neal

Ned Kelly, Australia’s most notorious outlaw inspired the title of artist Brian Neal’s stunning pastel, ‘Such is Life’. The painting of Kelly’s famous bush forged armour Completed in rich reds, greens, ochre and grey, the armour seems to float against its black background.

Brian, originally from the UK, explains how he came to be interested in this significant figure in Australian history, “When I was a boy the Robin Hood figure was a hero of mine as he championed the underdog. Kelly seems to fulfill the same role for the Australian psyche.”

In his youth Brian also had a fascination with armour. He says, “My friends and I would bicycle around, visiting different castles to look at suits of armour. It looked so heavy, and I often wondered how a man managed to move carrying all that weight.”

Brian’s interest in Kelly and his armour was reawakened last year. Brian says that when travelling through Beechworth, where Kelly spent time in jail.

Brian’s artistic challenges were heightened by working on a dark background. He says, “I had to use the pastels very freely. But my biggest problem was working on black paper, because the shading has to be done in reverse to the usual process, painting in the lights and leaving the paper for the darks”.

Sensitively framed, the ochre mount perfectly matches the ochre colour in the painting and the frame itself has a pewter finish that simulates the finish of armour.

The painting was shown at the Batemans Bay Arts and Crafts Society’s annual exhibition. On the last day of the exhibition a local woman bought the painting, commenting, “I find Brian’s work very dramatic. When I saw it I had to have it.”

She said, “I admire the symbolic strength of the empty armour, it’s an enduring symbol of Kelly. I like the fact that there is no one in it. In two hundred years time it will still be full of meaning.”

She continues, “Being a Pom, I love the command of the English language expressed in the title, ‘Such Is Life’, and it is also my philosophy.”