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archie graham profile

Alistair Graham was born in 1956 and grew up amidst the artistic eccentricity of Eltham in Melbourne, Australia. The family farm adjoined Sidney Nolan's but mostly his years were spent in the city. Famous Monsalvat artist colony visits ensured his growing enthuthiasm for the arts. Later taking the name of Archie and using that for his artist " Non de Plume "

His secondary school years were spent in the uniquely Australian bush county of Wangaratta.

After successfully majoring in Business Studies at RMIT  Archie Graham moved from alternative to structured landscape by arriving on the Gold Coast in 1980 and established a successful business career. Retiring at age of 38 and withdrawing completely from business life Archie became a self styled recluse to concentrate solely on art, learning and bookbinding using techniques of the ancients.

Captured by the Old Masters techniques, he studied with specialists such as Leo Wimmer, Master Gilder, Fabio Barnabei of Florence and the famous Julian Art school. He now employs brush strokes, colours and styles lost to many contemporary artists. His style today is a unique blend of those studies plus the lateral look of the post modernists. Many of his textured landscapes and figuratives contain the brashness of the Australian colours and a twist of the unique that make Archie's work so identifiable.

His works have been sold mainly to private collectors and some sell out exhibitions. In the tradition of the Renaissance Masters, Archie's Tallpoppy Studio in Cheshunt, is a working studio and the source of inspiration to the lucky few who attended his Master-classes and soirees for the arts. Using his name established through television and media, he always invited poets, dance ballet, installation and musicians to attend and perform at exhibitions.

 
Exhibition & Prize History

1995 "Art 95 International" Winners Exhibition, Soho - New York .
Resulting in sales in New York, London and Hong Kong.

1995 Trinity Art Festival Award

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Solo & group Exhibitions Field Of Dreams Studio. Australia.

1996 Solo Exhibition Mary Ryan's Book Stores.
1997 Solo Exhibition Mary Ryan's Book Stores

1997 Group Exhibition Gold Coast Arts Centre - Sunday programme.

1998 Winning Entry Marymount Art Festival Ted Mathews "The Last Anzac" portrait
1998 The international Duvall Portrait Prize.
1999 Exhibition State Library Queensland, Australia.
1999 Virgin Artist group Exhibition - Broadbeach Australia
2000 Finalist - Sweden Cyber Art Gallery Exhibition.
2000 Virgin Artist group Exhibition - Broadbeach Australia
2000 Short listed finalist for Churchill Fellowship.
2001 Exhibition Cambridge, United Kingdom.
2001 Exhibition Battersea, London. Untied Kindom.
2001 First Prize Watling -Von Bibra Inaugrual Art Award.
2002 Exhibition Tallebudgera Creek Road, Burleigh heads, Australia.
2003 Florence, Italy Exhibition
2006 Beaucaire, France Concours
2007 Beaucaire, France Concours
2008 Ma Maison Galerie, Beaucaire. France.
2010 Finalist Wangaratta Biennial Sculpture Award
2010 Accepted into New York International Design Artists SEDICOM
2010 Finalist Gallipoli Art Prize - Exhibition Sydney, Australia.
2015 King Valley Art Show – Winner Figurative/Portrait Prize

Education

1974-1977 Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. RMIT Mastered in Business. (Psychology and Law)
1995 Julian Ashton School Of Fine Art - The Rocks, Sydney. Masters include Archibald Prize winners Franco Giocco and Lionel Thompson.
1996 Studied under Mr. Leo Wimmer, Master Renaissance techniques, Gold gilding and classical painting methods.
2001 Study tour Italy, France and UK main galleries.
2002 Studied and worked in Florence, Italy with renaissance master Fabio Bernabei

artist statement.

Despite arts conventions that dictate that all artists should paint one particular style, it is my belief that technique and interpretation of the subject should prevail over artist recognizable style. It is my desire to paint the subject matter in whatever form allows me to convey the energy.

A master chef is not expected to cook one particular dish, nor would we accept being subjected to taste but one meal. Art for me is about different tastes, senses and emotions which I emulate in different styles and subjects. Different moods and emotions lead me to portray the subject with the techniques that perform the task, if they are executed well the piece works. Art is not an assembly line solely for commercial gain. It is a creative experience that hopefully may take people where they cannot journey or imagine.

The value of an art piece is in the number discarded to achieve but one. Passion in the heart, confidence in the hand. Painting is not what I do, but who I am.

Professional background

1977-1995 Owned and operated businesses on the Gold Coast which were successfully
sold in January 1995 to complete the transition to professional Artist, giving
up a lucrative income, a successful business career and a wife of 22 years to
seek a passion in the arts

1995-1999 Field Of Dreams Studio - Artist & Teacher
Providing classes in Fine Art & Life Drawing, painting & Old Masters
Techniques to subsidize where possible further study & establishing
oneself in the Arts.

1996 Established Tallpoppy Studio as a vehicle to produce and market hand
made books. Now selling world wide.

1997 Logan Institute of TAFE - Teacher - concurrent with studio work.
Gained teacher status with TAFE conducting classes in Craft & Visual Art
Industry Context, Craft & Visual Art Marketing, Managing Creative
Projects and Old Masters Techniques.

1997-2001. Artist in residence various schools, demonstrations, lectures, judging,
Qld Arts.

2003 Artelier Beaucaire, France.

 2012 Artelier Tallpoppy, Cheshunt, Victoria, Australia.

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 .     .    Entry.. ...... . . . . . .. ..  . Crimson Room . . . .... . . . . ....Blue Room.. . . . . ...... . . . Gold Room . ...... .   . . . ...Books... .