Greg Brennan Art Gallery

	Greg Brennan Art Gallery

About Myself

Greg Brennan Art Gallery

GREGORY JOHN BRENNAN

I was born in Wellington in 1935. I have lived in Narromine for 41years, having lived in Brewarrina for 10 years and Wellington before that. I have worked all over New South Wales in the construction industry, mostly in Earth Moving.

The Art Teacher I had in High School persuaded me to sit a test advertised by the Art Training Institute of Melbourne, as I was winning quite a few prizes at local shows and exhibitions. I won a Commercial Art Course Scholarship and studied Commercial Art by correspondence for 2 years. This incorporated true life drawings like in comics, which were the same thing at the time. When it got to customer appreciation and psychology of selling I decided to go driving a bulldozer. Looking back I see a lost profession as I was too young to appreciate the opportunity presented to me at the time.

I have always had the same artistic interest in traditional happenings and the world around me. Contemporary and Abstract Art did not entice me at all. I did not draw or paint anything for the next 12 years. In the mid 1960's, I began to draw and paint again, but just as a hobby. I competed in a number of exhibitions over the years and slowly got some recognition in the late 1970's and 1980's.

I trained in pen and ink, water colours and pencil as there was no place for oil in Commercial Art. I taught myself to use oil in my paintings and went to all the art classes I could find. I have demonstrated at exhibitions and taught for a period of time. I also tried acrylics but found merging tone hard to do, thus only using it for large paintings and murals. Additives in acrylics have advantages but I am still more comfortable with oil. Currently I am still learning with water colours and when I started painting in watercolour a lot of the old training came back. During the late 1970's I did quite a lot of weekend workshops and for a period of time taught art with the Advanced College of Education.

WHAT SUBJECTS

I have painted just about everything. The most unusual was a painting of a station grooming, slaughtering and dressing a pig (commissioned painting). I enjoy bringing recent history to life. I was never in the financial position to just become a full time artist. I looked at doing painting around 1990 but became involved with a major farming development and continued on in contracting until retirement 3 years ago. At present I try to compete in as many art shows as I can.

My most outstanding work has been a 4.6 metre by 15.5 metre mural of a stockman scene and the inclusion of my art in 'The Utes in the Paddock' program at Condobolin.

REWARDS

Over the years from the 1970's to the present I have won a number of 1st and Highly Commended prizes. These include:

» 1st prize at Gilgandra (twice).
» 1st prize at Dubbo (four times).
» 1st prize at the Dubbo 2007 Lexus Mortimore Prize in the Still Life Category.
» 1st prize at Wellington.
» 1st prize at Peak Hill.
» 1st prize at Condobolin.
» 1st prize at Narrendera.
» 1st prize at Yanco, the painting is hanging in the foyer of the Yanco Agricultural College.
» Three 1st Prizes at the Henry Lawson Festival Art Show in Gulgong 2010.
» Peoples Choice Winner at Art Unlimited in Dunedoo 2011.
» Finalist at the International Inglis Equine Art Prize 2011.
» Two Highly Commended awards at the Dubbo Art Exhibition 2011.

During the 1980's I had exhibits displayed for sale at 10 different galleries.