“I made this portrait of Guy at his home studio in late January 2018.
I was using a new camera and my initial composition failed to capture the warmth of this remarkable artist. I simplified my light and adjusted my composition to see the face with little else; instantly there was a connection.
In his 98th year, Guy was still creating his evocative works. He had won the Archibald Prize in 1985 and the Watercolour Award at the Wynne Prize; he had also been a winner of the Mosman Art Prize. When I made this portrait, Guy had a show at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, another opening at King Street Gallery on William, Sydney, followed by yet another exhibition of works on paper in Melbourne.
In conversation, Guy mentioned how he would often wake at night and return to the studio to refine details that concerned him. This seemed to be the mark of an artist who feels deeply about the marks he makes and the landscapes he loves.”
Gary Grealy