Billy Doolan - Lost in Dreamtime thoughts
Jim van Geet
- Sitter: Billy Doolan
- Medium: Oil on Linen
- Dimensions: 92 x 122 cm
- Representation: Myrtleford Gallery
About the artwork and sitter
Billy lives in Townsville and often paints from a studio in Brisbane. His language group is Bwgcolman and his totem is the Brolga. His father was a Wakka Wakka man from Central Queensland and his mother Tagalaka from Cape York. He has been painting professionally since 1976.
“As a fellow artist I spent time with Billy when I curated an exhibition of his commissioned works from Sicily and Hong Kong and was struck by his quiet and humble demeanor. He is often lost in deep thought reflecting on the environment, his/our country and how his art may be able to influence our attitude to our planet.”
A passionate environmentalist, Doolan says, “I paint to share with people my dismay and frustration at what destruction people inflict on Mother Earth, its waters and oceans and the life within.”
About the artist
Jim Van Geet is a professional artist who lives in Victoria. He regularly works from his daughter’s studio in Brisbane, with a number of his artist friends. He is a firgurative painter, who has been a finalist in many national prizes.
“My portraiture has always been about the personal connection between the artist and sitter.”
Behind the scenes
My portraiture has always been about the personal connection between the artist and sitter.
A sitter’s personality and background become evident during lengthy conversations whilst I sketch and make notes. It gets interesting as we become comfortable with each other and their life story is discussed.
It is then that I decide on the overall concept for the painting which will best describe them.
Then I’ll do a large photoshoot and together with my drawings and notes the painting is designed.
The canvas is prepared ready for the sitter’s return when I do a contour drawing on the canvas and start the painting.
Further work is done in the studio from my reference material and then completed with a final sitting.
