I have just finished a portrait of the award winning journalist John Silvester. It was an incredible experience made somewhat unnerving as John decided to interview me while I painted him. He came to my studio for a number of sittings and to be frank I would have rather just listened to him tell me stories. A truly intriguing sitter and a great guy. As an award winning journalist and co author of the Underbelly series they had to feature in the image. John trains at boxing recreationally, a practice he began with his son, and when you go to the gym the walls are plastered with articles. This made it the perfect setting for the work. It helps that so much of John’s subjects are the underworld, a topic suited to the boxing arena. We use articles that John considers some of his most important and some of the ones that he is most proud of. I am very proud of this painting and grateful to have had the opportunity to make it. John turned the interview into an article for The Age and a podcast for Naked City. Here is the link to the article.
And the podcast.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naked-city/id1501054880?i=1000491638061