Barry wins the Archibald

 Louise Hearman's portrait of Barry Hunphries has won the 2016 Archibald portrait contest

Finalists 'Pat  by Alan Jones * Peter Weiss by Nicholas Harding* Deng by Nick Stathopolous* Self by Benjamin Aitken

                                                           Wendy Whiteley by Natasha Bieniek

Winner of the Wynne Prize:Spring Frost by Eiloth Gruner

           The Archibald Portrait exhibition is now open at the art Gallery of NSW : entry is free

Sydney (drugs & social ) crime update

Just a few weeks after his portrait was chosen winner of the Archibald Portrait Prize high profile barrister Charles Waterstreet (below left) has had to withdraw from the drugs and murder trial involving former policemen Roger Rogerson (below right) and Glen McNamara who are accused of murdering Jamie Gao. The trial will now take place early in 2016. He withdrew apparently after a series of social media posts appeared under his name but whether they were actually by him is still a mystery.

Waterstreet makes regular appearances on the Sydney social circuit, has written several books and in his spare time is a film producer and script writer.
He produced the 1986 film Howling 3 and is the inspiration behind the successful ABC series Rake which has also been picked up by US television. Waterstreet is also a columnist for the Sun Herald newspaper and a Facebook pal of Whispers, known for his often witty posts.
Sadly, he has gone a bit silent over the past fortnight.

Meanwhile former blogger Lisa Stickbridge  has been jailed for 2 and half years after being busted in a drugs sting. Whispers often spotted Stockbridge at Sydney parties and was always slightly puzzled about how her blog supposedly profited. We better than anyone know how difficult is to make any website even pay for itself and view it as a...public service?.
The schadenfreude shown by some social writers over Stockbridge's jailing has been a bit over the top though. Not mentioned of course is just who are the high profile customers who indulge in cocaine and the sort of drugs that were supplied by Stockbridge which she dealt out of a luxury Range Rover. Do we know? If so we aren't saying.

But the strangest report must be from the world's worst best tabloid the Mail Online and their claim that a Coogee model Kirsty Dayment was a "socialite". Shurley Shome Mistake as the UK satirical magazine Private Eye would say. Other newspapers echoed that the claim the model was a "fixture" on the social circuit. Not in the ones we mix in. But maybe her alleged customers are.

Geat Honour for Sir Les

A magnificent portrait of the noted Australian diplomat Sir Les Patterson, representative of the Cheese Board and Cultural Affairs Attache to the Court of St James has received a rare honour.
A portrait of him has today picked up the Packer's Prize, chosen by those who receive, unpack and hang entries for the Archibald Prize.

And the prize is not to be sniffed at either, artist Tim Storrier wins $1000 plus an ANZ Bank $500 gift card. Sadly for Storrier, no Packer's Prize choice has gone on to win the Archibald. That will be chosen next Friday at a gala bash at the NSW Art Gallery.
Below is a film of Sir Les in action. You
can see why he is respected in diplomatic circles world-wide.

Earth To Sydney Confidential

The old Darlinghust Gaol built in 1840 must have been a foreboding thought for those sentenced to be housed there by the nearby Darlinghurst Criminal Court where the more sensational murder cases are still conducted today.
Being banged up in the tiny and claustrophobic cells for life (for those who avoided the gallows) would have been a mind destroying experience.

These days the Gaol hosts a variety of schools in the arts and catering fields and  it's a lively place of learning.
Last week the National Art School housed there held a fundraiser attended by a number of leading artists including this year's Archibald winner Tim Storrier and, as Rupert Murdoch's top selling Daily Telegraph put it : "revered artist John Olsen".
Accompanying the story is the above photo with the caption " Ros Packer and Tim Storrier."
For the record : this is artist Tim Storrier ( the artist above is John Olsen) at the right :

..and at left  is Ros Packer (at the Bulgari party 2 weeks ago). Both feature often in the Shuttle. (they should read us more often as some leading UK newspapers do to source their stories)
 Rumours are flying thick and fast that a major staff crunch is coming at News Ltd in September and the fear and loathing at the Holt Street HQ is palpable. Perhaps they may re-think the notion of out-sourcing their sub-editing.

Archibald Still Pleases

The Archibald Portrait prize never fails to shock and delight, always with a tinge of controversy. This year's recipient was Bathurst artist Tim Storrier with his self portrait (minus head): The histrionic wayfarer (after Bosch) .

Lucky Tim-for the first time the prize was raised to $75,000 although that's a fraction of the price he receives for a painting.

Above is Adam Cheng's portrait of film producer Emile Sherman who picked up an Oscar for The King's Voice.

The launch was also an opportunity to meet the new News South Wales Art Gallery director Michael Brand who will take over from Edmund Capon in June. Brand is the current director of the Aga Khan Museum which is being built in Toronto and formerly the J.Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Below are some of the finalists:

(left) Martin Sharp's painting
 'the thousand dollar bill'

and right: Garry Shead's 'Martin Sharp and 
his magic theatre'

Adam Cullen's 'Nelson & Koko'

 right : Michael Vale's 'Night of the wolverine – a portrait of Dave Graney and Clare Moore' 

Father Bob Immortalised

Our favourite crusty old Catholic priest Father Bob Maguire has been immortalised for the Archibald portrait prize which opens in 2 weeks at the NSW Art Gallery. The Packer's Prize ( the gallery workers choice-not the Packer family!) was chosen today-actor John Wood (below).
Father Bob has upset the powers that be and been removed from his parish-something to do with ministering to the poor. A benefactor has set him up in nearby premises so he can carry on his work. We feel sure he fits the requirements for the subject of an Archibald entrant: a person who has made a significant contribution to society.

Watch the video below of very clever stencil artist E.L.K (above) as he produces the Father Bob portrait: