Two more 'Utes in the Paddock'
Eris Fleming |
Paul Blahuta |
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Australian Bush artist of international fame, Eris Fleming first heard about the 'Utes in the Paddock' project from friend and fellow artist Peter Mortimore, who had just completed his 'Clancy stops the Overflow' ute.
Then Burrawang West Statidn owner Graham Pickles called him with the proposal to paint a ute and add to the gallery that is growing on the property.
Eris saw participation in the project as potentially a good idea: "in the art game you get a lot of offers, I get about 100 in a year.
I believe this idea will work. You can tell it is going to be successful by the number of people already coming to look at them and they will then spread the word. With a reasonable number of utes [seven so far]-to look at there will. be a wide selection of artistic styles that will provide for wide range of appeal."
Normally Eris only paints on canvases and he is feeling the challenge as he has never painted a ute before.
Eris sees the 'Utes in the paddock' as being beneficial to his own career as it is one more achievement in a multiplicity of achievements he sells his much sort after art to the world via the internet. He sees the project as worthwhile as it works in conjunction with his other work.
Eris emotionally recounts his frustrated attempts in pursuing his passion for art, first at home then at school, and then finally as a career.
He studied medicine at Sydney University and worked for 6 years as a GP before being able to realise his dream of painting.
Endeavouring to paint interesting things, Eris's ute has no particular theme but is painted in his immediately recognisable colourful style
that depicts the Australian outback landscape, society and people's eccentricities. Called "Central West Medley", Eris has scribed on the
bonnet his four secrets to life.
Upcoming artists are:
Greg Brennan, Belinda Williams and Steve Cobum.
Artist Paul Blahuta initially took a lot of persuading to join the fraternity of artists contributing to "The Utes in the Paddock' project at Burrawang Station Resort, butnow he is an enthusiastic convert.
Describing himself as predominantly a painter rather than sculptor, Paul had to move 'out of the box' to accommodate his ideas into a new art practice.
"It was Graham Pickles (Burrawang resort Owner) persistence and artist friend Shane Gehlert that pushed me over the line. Now I'm very pleased to have done it. I've even brought the family out here. It is good for the kids to share what dad does for a living. They are loving it here as they are normally not exposed to the. bush life style."
The idea for Paul's ute "Clean running backed by Ned" combines five elements: three galloping partially see through white horses; ropes tied to the cut-outs of the artist and the hijacker Ned Kelly; all atop a painted ute depicting the Australian landscape with his characteristic bell shaped armoured figures and kangaroos.
The 'scenario is both a comment on our dependence on fossil fuels and how we may be better off using older methods of transport such as horses. But the horses are not native to Australia - hence their transparency - not quite here - not meant to be here. He also uses the iconic figure of Ned Kelly - Paul said it was the figure of Ned Kelly that drove his ideas for the project.
The large steel Ned Kelly was cut out by Agriweld Engineering of Dubbo and then sent to the Dubbo rifle range to be 'decorated' with authentic bullet marks.
Paul said, "It's a healthy thing to be doing [The Utes in a Paddock] as it is a bit left field it is good for the art game to be doing this.
This project has international appeal which will raise any artist's profile at home and overseas. I'm really pleased about,the group of artists [I'm working with] and the project there is no small time .mentality here. It is a unique experience."
