Lee Porter - Artist

Chad Morgan: My 2011 Archibald Entry

27th October 2011: My 2011 Archibald entry (pictured at right) was of the charasmatic Chad Morgan.

It was a pleasure meeting him and trying to capture on canvas his cheeky personality.

As a South Burnett boy, Chad Morgan was familiar with "Scrubby Creek" which went on to earn him the name "Shiek from Scrubby Creek".

The portrait title was chosen after he told me of a front page headline in a South East Queensland paper that said he was dead. I couldn't believe the story then he tipped his hat and gave me the "full teeth grin" and said "but I'm still here".

Chad also told me that his parents were going to straighten his teeth when he was a boy but didn't - and thank heaven for that as we wouldn't recognise Australia's greatest entertainer!

PS: I'm sorry that I've been quiet on my website over the last year, but I was finishing the final year of my Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts and (as anyone who's ever done a degree will agree, I'm sure) it took up all my spare time.

However I hope to be more lively in 2012.

2010 Archibald Entry

For this years Archibald Entry Lady Flo Bjelke Petersen agreed to sit for her portrait at Bethany in Kingaroy. At 89 years young, Lady Flo still has the political fire in her eye and donates her time to charities and community activities.

When discussing her portrait, Lady Flo suggested taking a more contemporary approach so I said I would paint her in peanut shells. The final work is in the shape of Qld, her shirt is an aerial view of pastural land with Sir Joh in the background of her sleeve (she wears her heart on her sleeve, a bit cliche but very true as photo's of Sir joh adhorn her walls), the Australian flag to represent her days in politics, a mining opperation which is still an issue for her and the Qld emblem, the Cooktown Orchid.

“Rowdy” - My 2009 Archibald Entry

Russell Nunn - or “Rowdy” as he's known to the music world - is a South-East Queensland blues musician who first came to fame in the 1990’s with his band “Rowdy and the Awfins”.

He's an extremely colourful character who I’d class as an extrovert and possibly slightly mad - but what else would you expect from a talented musician?

I chose Rowdy as the subject for my entry in the 2009 Archibald Prize and painting him was a most unusual experience.

Rowdy sat and played guitar and harmonica while I painted him, in between telling jokes and laughing.

There was no way that I could paint him in natural tones so I painted him as I saw him - bright and colourful. And I used an elongated canvas to to help bring out his "larger than life" qualities (so no, the picture at right isn't a web error: this is how the canvas actually looks).

Thank you Rowdy for the laughs and experience of painting you!

Donation to the Murgon Lions for the Palliative Care Unit

After living in a rural community and losing my husband to cancer soon after we moved here, I quickly discovered the vital need for a Palliative Care Ward in Murgon.

Many community groups have been raising funds for this great cause over the past year and I decided to donate a painting to help their fund-raising efforts.

But at a combined services meeting in June, the Murgon Lions Club (who are leading the fund-raising drive) decided that they'd prefer to hang the painting in the foyer of the new Palliative Care Ward instead of using it as a fund-raiser.

Their reason for doing this was that because most of the people in rural Queensland are farmers and cattle graziers, they thought the painting would provide some measure of comfort and recognition to the Unit's patients and visitors.

The painting is acrylic on canvas and called “The Muster” (shown above) and I created it in 2008. I'm very pleased to be able to help this excellent cause and I encourage everyone else who can to do the same.

Can you see what I see?

This is a new series of work which I am finding very intriquing. When painting these wonderful creatures, I feel like I am looking into their souls. I hope to have images of the series posted shortly. Can you see what I see?
Stay tuned!

Art Talks

If you're a member of a community group or having an intellectual party gathering, how about something different?

I give talks on “What Is Art?” and “What Am I Looking At?” which encompass the history of art (not as boring as it sounds!) and examine today's contemporary art.

Please send me an email if you are interested in an entertaining and educational talk that’s sure to have your members saying “Ah-ha! Now I get it!”