Racing portrait is a winner
ARTIST Vivian Falk has won the $10,000 Cliftons Art Prize for the Asia-Pacific region with her portrait of horse trainer Gai Waterhouse titled Gai Waterhouse 4am Training.
“I was thrilled that a portrait could win overall as there were more than 650 entries,” Falk says.
“While many Australians will be familiar with the image of Gai looking glamorous at the racetrack, few will have had the opportunity I enjoyed to see the master at work, enthusiastically training her horses in the early hours in all conditions.
“I followed Gai around as she worked, and found her to be an amazing woman who would inspire many,” Falk says.
“When I asked Gai where she felt most comfortable she said: ‘At 4am at the track, training my horses.’
“This is where I captured her, away from glossy magazines, art and social events, putting in the hard work that makes her such a remarkable champion.
“My philosophy is that a photo can capture a moment, but only a painting captures life. I try to ensure my paintings tell the viewer a story about the essence of my subjects.”
Falk says she has been asked to paint Waterhouse again and will be exhibiting her new portrait in an exhibition to be held in Canberra in November.
Falk says her paintings take up to eight weeks to complete.
“I paint using natural light from 7am until dusk, six days a week.”
The Gai Waterhouse oil painting will be on display at Cliftons training centres in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Falk’s work is also featured in the new book, The Artists’ Book (published by Portrait Artists Australia), with her portraits of Roslyn Packer and Malcolm Turnbull among about 80 works selected for inclusion in the book. Her painting of Turnbull was selected as a finalist in the 2007 Archibald Prize.
“The sittings that I had with Malcolm were not with a businessman or a politician, but as an everyday Australian. His rolled-up sleeves and open-necked shirt are indicative of his hands-on approachable character,” she says.
“I sought to convey this trait by drawing the viewers eye to his heavy-set hands.”
Falk also has a painting of society couple Dr Geoffrey Edelsten and his wife Brynne entered in this year’s $150,000 Doug Moran Prize.
REPORT by Danny Gocs
PHOTO of artist Vivian Falk with the $10,000 Cliftons Art Prize
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