These images come from my journey from untrained teenage religious painter (earliest image) to a more fulltime practitioner. Most are fairly standard landscapes, though two are obvious precursors to recent EconArt, documented separately and linked here.
Pearl Beach
4' x 3'
Oil on canvas
Signed bottom left 2020
Collection of Michael Prior and Patricia Mackenzie
Tim Hayman
2'10'' X 3'2"
Oil on canvas
Signed bottom left 2020
Commissioned by Tim Hayman
A beautiful landscape with a pointilist effect in the foreground forest.
The Spirit of the Rock
4' x 3' Oil on Canvas Signed, bottom right, 2013
In collection of Professor Robin Batterham and Hanne, Melbourne.
The old tree, the derelict fence post and the multi-coloured rocks with hints of old images summed up the spirit of Uluru. No palette knife here, the work on the rocks required greater delicacy.
Hobart Town from 21st Century
(Homage to Glover)
3' x 4'
Oil on Canvas Signed, bottom left, 2017
Painted following a visit to Tasmania in early 2017. Quite minimalist, though I am especially happy with impressionist treatment of houses.
Jamison Valley
3' x 4' Oil on Canvas Signed, bottom right, 2015
Collection of Professors John Hayman and Beverly Biggs, Melbourne
Note the figure bottom right. Celebrating the visits of Charles Darwin in 1836. I greatly enjoyed painting this image, with receding hills and valleys. Professor Hayman uses it is his talks on Darwin in places far and near.
Whistler (40 shades of blue)
3' x 4' Oil on Canvas Signed, bottom right, 2015
Collection of Nicholas Malon and Eliza Jonson who returned from a holiday with a photo they required to be turned into a painting.
Who can ignore a daughter's plea, even if it requires the father to check out his abilities to paint snow and snow-laden pine trees.
Pilbara mine
3' x 4' Oil on Canvas Signed, bottom right, 2014
We visited the Pilbara in 2014 and made sketches and took photographs. Stunning colors and appealing shapes, celebrating Australia's great iron ore industries. (A precursor to EconArt.)
Lost Boy
2'6' x 3'2" Oil on Canvas Signed, bottom right, 2014
This shows the road from our rural hideaway to the freeway to Melbourne. The light and shade was the feature and the boy was imaginary.
Pilbara Waterfall
3' x 4' Oil on Canvas Signed, bottom right, 2014
Now in collection of Eliza Jonson, Melbourne.
We came across this stunning view when walking in the Kimberly. No sketchpads but a camera. Lots of work on the rocks in front and rock walls and water falling with palette knives.
Wedgetail Eagle
3' x 4' Oil on Canvas Signed, bottom right, 2014
Another stunning Northern image. Again rocks with the palette knife but the wedgetail eagle was the highlight as we stood looking at the stupendous view.
Uluru in full sun
Oil on canvas 3' x 4' Signed bottom left
This was the first large image of Uluru attempted. The shades of orange and blue are delightful and the neat foreground is a tribute to the custodial staff. In collection of Professors John Hayman and Beverly Biggs.
Ulura and Kata Djuta
To be posted
Tryptych Oil on boards
In the collection of the artist. The feature is the distant Kata Djuta (The Olgas). More fun with bright orange and blue.
Pearl Beach
3' x 2'
Oil on canvas
Signed bottom left.
Painted for Michael Prior and Trish McKenzie in mid 2019.
Uluru and rocks
Oil on canvas 3' x 4' Signed bottom left
Another image that required careful brushwork. The grass was a triumph and when lit by a downlight in the collection of Maree Broad and Mike Stockley the highlights light up in an amazing way
Uluru in the Gloaming
Oil on canvas 3' x 4' Signed
This is my personal favourite from the Uluru series and remains in the artist's collection. Much delicate brushwork with stars (helped by flywire) offsetting the flowers on the bushes in the foreground. Colours of the rock contrast strongly with this in full sun or when daylight but in shade.
The Gathering Storm
Oil on canvas 4' x 3' Signed bottom right
The gathering storm, snapped from the Swanston street bridge is a metaphor for the global crisis that was about to hit. This is another precursor to the Artist's EconArt series. In the collection of Professor Ross and Jayne Garnaut, Melbourne.
Kings of the River
Oil on canvas 3' x 4' Signed bottom left Jonson 2011
The three magnificent trees on the bend in the Yarra River demanded to be painted. The dark figure on the right hand bank somehow insinuated himself. Collection of Infinity Business Solutions
Balnarring Cathedral
Oil on canvas 91 cm x 122 cm Signed bottom right Jonson 2010
The scene on the road from Balnarring Village to the Artist's rural hideaway and studio. Obviously I was taken by the light and shade, but also the magnificence of the pines, destined to die out on the Balnarring Peninsular as the powers regard them as weeds. Totally ridiculous in my view. In the Artist's collection, having resisted many generous offers to buy.
Cradle Mountain
Oil on canvas 60 cm x 90 cm signed bottom right Jonson '10
Inspiration fired by the view on a family holiday. I found I could paint rocky mountains and a transition to forest. The birds are a feature. When criticised by a photography buff, I asserted 'My boids are as good as Boyds boids'.
Road to Gundagai
Oil on board 41 cm x 51 cm signed bottom right Jonson '10
With my family I have had the pleasure of many road trips within Australia. This owed the three crosses to a song by John Schuman. Collection of Peter Byron and Liz Rowell.
Waterbirds at Burrawang
Oil on board Signed bottom RHS Jonson '09
I am very proud of the light-on-water effects on the main dam at our rural hideaway at Balnarring. We farm grass and three horses, and have many boids, in this case waterboids. Collection of Mark and Mischelle Hodge.
Crowdy Bay
Oil on board 35" x 47' Signed bottom right 1988
This was a breakthrough painting when I was between jobs and pretty relaxed. In paining it in the studio after a family holiday I went to another place and returned after several hours with a result that greatly suprised me. Now it is easier to reach that sacred place, though not automatic.
Crucifixion
Poster paint on old kitchen cupboard door 44" x 25" Signed bottom left, 1988
Painted in a burst of adolescent religious fervour. Nail holes on the boundaries saw it rejected for the Church art show, a rejection that doused my fervour. What were they thinking?