He began his art studies in 1980 at the Royal Queensland Art Society under the late Frank de Silva, and attended the Queensland College of Art in 1981-82, which gave some formal influence to his otherwise 'self-taught' approach to art. He works mainly in oils on canvas but also produces watercolours and drawings, being very influenced by the environment which surrounds him. The hot, dry country around Woolooga, with its distinctive trees and features, inspired the 'Woolooga' series. Impressive photographs in 'Art And America' moved him to paint the faceless figurative work, 'No Rain'. Uncensored internet images were the basis for the two most realist of his recent works, 'Virgin On A Balcony' and the confronting 'Asian Obedience'.

 

At times the representational elements in his paintings will not refer to external reality at all, some areas of the surface being images that have simply been painted out. As a painting develops, whether a landscape, figurative or abstract, components which seem less important are gradually parted with. His figurative works tell of faded images and rituals, often with represented figures which look away or do not have inscribed faces at all. They refuse eye contact. The painting surface as a whole faces the viewer.

 

He has exhibited widely, including Sydney, New York, Paris and Beijing. His solo exhibition at the Limner Gallery in New York in 1994 was the first by an Australian artist. His 1995 Wynne Prize entry was selected for the 'Salon des Refuses' exhibition held at the S.H. Ervin Gallery in Sydney, the exhibition attracting over 5,000 visitors. He has also had solo shows at: Gallery 331, Brisbane, 1995; Soho Galleries, Sydney in 1996-97. He has participated in group shows at: Miromesnil Fine Arts, Paris, 1997; Art Images Gallery, Adelaide, 1996 and 1998; Soho Galleries, Sydney, 1998-2000; National Gallery of China, Beijing, 1999. He was invited to participate in the prestigious Tattersall's Club Invitational Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane, 1998.

 

He has won numerous art awards including: Wide Bay, 1986 and 1988; Australian Bicentennial Art Prize Finalists' Exhibition, School of Arts, Brisbane, 1988; Bundaberg, 1987, 1989, 1993.

He is currently represented by art agents and galleries in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and in the UK and USA. His works are now held in private and numerous corporate art collections throughout Australia, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, United States and Japan. His works are included in the collection of the Bundaberg Art Gallery, Bundaberg Civic Centre, and in the extensive corporate collection of Perpetual Trustees, Sydney. His large 'Christmas Eve', now held in a private collection in Melbourne, formerly hung at the Crown Casino.

 

He is currently working on his 'Human Landscape' series for a forthcoming solo show. He has recently completed drafts for his next two novels of suspense, 'Kiss To Kill' and 'Child Play'.