Damien Minton Gallery

To view full 2011 exhibition visit:
Tom Carment website

‘Places I’ve Been’

Sometimes I think that plein air painting is a bit like doing an extended jazz solo. You need to practice, you need to be well prepared and you need to be relaxed. The balance between observation and making a picture should feel natural. Above all you should know the right time to stop.

When you’ve lived in a city for a long time it becomes signposted with memories, of friendship and events – a street corner where you had a certain conversation, a house whose exterior you painted, a picnic spot. I feel a compulsion to depict these places, my surroundings, the way I see them. But it’s hard to keep a fresh vision of that which is most familiar.

For two months this year I couldn’t paint, my right arm in a sling after my bike hit a hole and I smashed my shoulder on the road down to Nielsen Park. I was going there to paint another watercolour of people in the pool of shade under a banksia. After that I had to slow down, accept my disability. I went for long walks, sorted my papers and rediscovered the local library. Jan, my partner, reckonned I was a nicer person with one arm, less anxious.  I realised the world wouldn’t fall apart if I didn’t paint every day, even though I missed doing it.

People stood up for me in the bus.

I returned to art slowly by filling three pads over three days with line drawings of the prize cattle, poultry and ducks at the Easter Show. A few weeks later I chiselled the dry blobs of oil paint off my palette and squeezed out new ones, wet and shining. With enthusiasm I put my gear into a backpack with extra shoulder pads and returned to the cliffs and beaches of the eastern seaboard of the city. In the winter light I painted apartments crowded like lemmings at the precipice, winter seas, Coogee in the rain.

And I thought that perhaps, by slowing down, by having dawdled around Sydney with almost no purpose, I was able to see it anew.

Born

1954

Studies

1973Julian Ashton Art School, Sydney

Solo Exhibitions

2011‘Places I’ve Been’, Damien Minton Gallery2009‘New Pictures’, Damien Minton Gallery2008‘People, Paddocks, Coastlines’, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, Windsor 2007Depot Gallery, Sydney 2006Council House 2, Melbourne 2005Depot Gallery, Sydney 2003Depot Gallery, Sydney 2000King Street gallery on Burton, Sydney 1998King Street Gallery on Burton, Sydney 1997King Street Gallery on Burton – Landscapes, King Street Gallery‘ – ‘Friends, Family, Places’ 1995King Street Gallery on Burton 1993King Street Gallery on Burton 1991Julie Green Gallery, Sydney 1989‘Sydney – Landscapes’ Robin Gibson Gallery
‘Portraits’, Robin Gibson Gallery 1988Robin Gibson Gallery 1987Galerie Cannibal Pierce, Paris 1985Mori Gallery, Sydney 1983Hogarth Gallery, Sydney 1980Robin Gibson Gallery 197838 Oxford Street, Sydney 1976Nicholson Street Gallery, Sydney

Selected Group Exhibitions

2011NSW Parliament Plein Air Art Prize, Sydney
Salon des Refuses, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
‘Artist Artists’, Benalla Art Gallery, Benalla
‘10 Years Ago’, Newcastle Arts Centre
‘Zoo Air’, Taronga Zoo artists in residence exhibition
Newcastle University Gallery
Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize, Sydney
Tattersall’s Art Prize, Brisbane2010Paddington Art Prize, Sydney (winner COFA Award)
Tattersall’s Art Prize, Brisbane
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Regional Art Gallery (winner, Alan gamble Award)
NSW Parliament Plein Air Art Prize, Sydney
‘31 Days’, Gallery Red, Sydney
Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize, Sydney
Salon des Refuses, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
The Landscape Show, Defiance Gallery, Sydney2009Hutchins Art Prize, Hobart
Tattersalls Art Prize, Brisbane
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Regional Art Gallery, Mosman
Blake Prize for Religious Art, National Art School Gallery Sydney
Windows On Pain, Carriageworks and travelling to AGNSW
Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize, Sydney (commended)
Salon Des Refuses, S H Ervin Gallery, Sydney 2008Salon des Refuses, S H Ervin Gallery, Sydney
‘Welcome to Coogee’, (inc. 14 works by Tom Carment)
Mary Place Gallery, Marlene Antico Fine Arts, Sydney
Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, NSW State Library
The Great Australian Barbeque, Wilson St Gallery, Newtown
The Coloured Digger, Damien Minton Gallery, Sydney
Gallipoli Art Prize, Sydney (winner)
‘CH2’ (inc. 40 works by Tom Carment), Tin Sheds Gallery, Sydney University
James Kiwi Watercolour Prize, Wollongong Art Gallery
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Regional Gallery
WAYS Fundraiser Art Auction, Ravesi’s, Sydney
Paddington Art Prize, Sydney
Clovelly Artists, Gallery East, Clovelly
Guest artist, Australian Watercolour Institute,
Mosman Regional Art Gallery
Stonevilla Studio Fundraiser, Chrissie Cottier Gallery, Camperdown 2007Salon des Refuses S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Just Imagine, Wollongong City Art Gallery
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Regional Gallery
Hula Dreaming, Gallery East Clovelly
Artist’s Books, The Cross Art Projects
Maxine McKew Fundraiser Art Show, Depot Gallery Sydney
Paddington Art Prize, Sydney 2006Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of N.S.W.
Salon des Refuses, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
May Day, The Cross Art Projects
Art on the Rocks, Sydney
Archibald Prize Regional Tour, NSW & VIC
Fireworks, Regional Tour
Paddington Art Prize, Sydney 2005Paddington Art Prize, Sydney 2005The Year in Art. S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Kedumba Drawing Prize, Wentworth Falls, NSW
Art on the Rocks, Sydney
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Regional Art Gallery (winner)
Tattersall’s Art Prize, Brisbane
Australian Icons, National Trust, Sydney
Salon des Refuses, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Small Offerings: Sri Lankan and Australian artists exhibition for
Tsunami Relief in Sri Lanka, The Cross Art Projects, Sydney 2005Fireworks, Mackay Regional Art Gallery and Museum and touring regional galleries in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria
Dugongs of Hinchinbrook Art Show, Centre of Contemporary Arts, Cairns 2004Archibald Prize. Art Gallery of N.S.W.
Archibald Prize, Regional Tour
Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of N.S.W.
Dobell Drawing Prize, Art Gallery of N.S.W.
Salon des Refuses, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
‘Same Place, Many Views – Painting the Australian Landscape’, Defiance Gallery, Sydney
Blake Prize for Religious Art, Regional Tour
‘Art on the Rocks’, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Tattersalls Art Prize, Brisbane
Mosman Art Prize, Sydney
Waverley Art Prize, Sydney
Whyalla Art Prize S.A.
Paddington Art Prize, Sydney
Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize, Campbelltown City Art Gallery 2003Jeff Doring Benefit, Grant Pirrie Gallery, Sydney
Ned Kelly Framed, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Picturing Paradise, Save Public Land, Mori Gallery, Sydney
Waverley Art Prize, Sydney
Mosman Art Prize, Sydney
Tattersalls Art Prize, Brisbane
Banool Conservation Art Pr ize, Scone
King’s Cross Art Prize, TAP Gallery, Sydney
Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize, Campbelltown City Art Gallery
Blake Prize for Religious Art, Sir Herman Black Gallery, Sydney
The Styx, Mori Gallery, Sydney 2002Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Archibald Prize, Regional Tour
A Silver Lining & A New Beginning, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney
Salon des Refuses, S.H. Ervin Gallery Sydney
Waverley Art Prize, Sydney
Mosman Art Prize 2001Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Salon des Refuses, S.H. Ervin Gallery Sydney
A Century of Collecting, 1901-2001, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney
‘Over the Back Fence’, Bowen Gallery, Wellington, N.Z
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Regional Art Gallery
Waverley Art Prize, Sydney
‘Floating’, King St. Gallery on Burton
Archibald Prize, Regional Tour
Willoughby Art Prize, Sydney
‘Our Place’, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery
Conrad Jupiter’s Art Prize, Gold Coast city Art Gallery Qld.
Gallery Artists, King St. Gallery on Burton 2000Waverley Art Prize, Sydney
Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Sporting Portrait Prize,Art Gallery of New South Wales
Dobell Drawing Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Archibald and Sporting Prizes Regional Tour
Salon des Refuses, S.H. Ervin Gallery Sydney
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Regional Art Gallery
Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize, Campbelltown City Art Gallery
Westpac Redlands Art Prize, Mosman Regional Art Gallery
Last Show of the Year, King Street Gallery on Burton
Things of Wood, King St. Gallery
Fleurieu Art Prize, S.A. 1999Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Prize Pictures, King Street Gallery on Burton
Millennium Art Prize, Schools and Universities Club, Sydney
National Works on Paper, Mornington Peninsular Regional Art Gallery
‘Last Show of the year’, King Street Gallery on Burton
Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize, Campbelltown City Art Gallery
Tattersall’s Art Prize, Brisbane
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Regional Art Gallery
Blacktown Art Prize, Blacktown City Art Gallery
Waverley Art Prize 1998Margaret Throsby’s Selections from ArtBank, S.H. Ervin Gallery
Last Show of the Year, King Street Gallery on Burton
Waverley Art Prize
Mosman Art Prize
King Street Gallery on Burton, group exhibition
King Street Gallery, group exhibition
Wespac Art Prize, Sydney
Kedumba Drawing Prize, Wentworth Falls
Salon des Refuses 1997Archibald Prize
Kedumba Drawing Prize
Waverley Art Prize
King Street Gallery, group exhibition
Salon des Refuses 1996King Street Gallery, group exhibition
Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Salon Des Refuses
Waverley Art Prize 1995Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Salon des Refuses
King Street Gallery on Burton, groupexhibition
Waverley Art Prize 1994Wynne Prize
Salon des Refuses
‘Prize Pictures’, Barry Stern Gallery, Sydney
‘Drawing on the Illawarra’, Wollongong University
Waverley Art Prize 1993‘Ink’, POD Gallery, Sydney
‘Saints and Sacred Places’, Barry Stern Gallery 1992Waverley Art Prize
‘Critic’s Choice’ (Jacques Delaruelle), Macquarie Gallery, Sydney
Environment Exhibition, Wollongong University
Salon des Refuses 1991Group Drawing Show, Julie Green Gallery, Sydney 1989Waverley Art Prize 1988Mosman Art Prize 1983Hogarth Gallery, Sydney 1984Delta Gallery, Harare, Zimbabwe,
National Gallery, Harare, Zimbabwe 1979Inaugural Exhibition, Reid Gallery, Sydney 1978Wynne Prize 1975Wynne Prize 1974Archibald Prize

Collections

City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collection National Gallery of Australia Art Gallery of New South Wales State Library of New South Wales Artbank Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris Kedumba Drawing Collection Macquarie Group Collection Qantas Wollongong City Art Gallery Wollongong University Geelong College Mosman Regional Art Gallery Hawkesbury Regional Art Gallery Waverley Council Maritime Union of Australia

Prizes and Awards

2008Gallipoli Art Prize 2005Acquired for collection – Kedumba Drawing Award
Mosman Art Prize 2004-2006Commission to paint & draw construction of Council House 2, Melbourne City 2003King’s Cross Art Prize 2002Mosman Art Prize – Alan Gamble Award (best depiction of the built environment) 2001Open section, Waverley Art Prize 2000Drawing section, Waverley Art Prize 1999Open and Works on Paper sections, Waverley Art Prize 1998Acquired for collection – Kedumba Drawing Award 1997Drawing section, Waverley Art Prize 1992Artist-in-residence, Wollongong University
Watercolour section, Waverley Art Prize 1988Drawing section, Mosman Art Prize
Open section, Waverley Art Prize 1984Artist-in-residence, Geelong College 1975Berrima District Art Prize

Published Writings (by the artist)

2007‘On site’, Heat magazine #13
Catalogue essay, Karl Schwerdtfeger photography, Wollongong City Art Gallery 2006‘CH2, The Construction of Australia’s Greenest Office Building – Painting, Drawings & Stories’ . 48pp illustrated book, published by the City of Melbourne 2003Essay, ‘Underrated – Horace Trennery’, Australian Art Review #2 2002Review, ‘Australian Gothic’ biography of Albert Tucker, HQ magazine 2001‘Illustrated Tales’ (stories and pictures), Heat Magazine (new series #2) 1999‘Fishing Camp’ (story and pictures), Bulletin Magazine
‘My Father’s War’ (illustrated essay), Good Weekend , Sydney Morning Herald 1998‘Telegraph Poles’, ‘Paris Underbelly’ (stories and drawings), HQ magazine 1997Three stories with drawings, Heat magazine #6 1995Short story ‘Ngomo Manza’, included in ‘Men/Love/Sex’, Random House 1986‘Days & Nights in Africa’ (110 pp illustrated book), Public Pictures
‘Africa’s Ruthless Peace’, Good Weekend, Sydney Morning Herald 1982Articles, travel stories from Africa, Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Courier Mail