Firstly, let me thank you for taking the time to look at my web page.

 

I was born in Victoria in 1962, and spent my childhood living in country Vic, until I moved to South Australia in my adult years.  I paint naive Aussie outback pieces, best known for my continuing 'Old Fred' series.   You could say that my younger years in the country have contributed to my creation of 'Old Fred'.  Through my experiences I have met a lot of characters over the years, many just typical country folk, old farmers with real Aussie sense of humour, real genuine blokes.

 

My adult working life has consisted mostly of hands on work , anything from spray-painting (certainly a form of art in itself) to vineyard management, painting hasn't always been apart of my life but in small ways I guess I did have a few art influence's as a child.  My uncle Bill used to do a comic strip for a Melbourne newspaper called 'Wilbur the Worm' and my father use to draw quiet a bit, I, myself spent a little of my younger years sketching tattoo designs, but never thought I would be a recognised  Australian artist.  It wasn't until 10 years ago that I took to hobby painting, starting off with painting flowers inspired by the works of Pro Hart, but with a twist and touch of myself... late followed by 'Old Fred'.  For anyone who is not familiar with 'Old Fred' he's a typical outback Aussie farmer who tends to get himself into the most bizarre hilarious situations along with his mates, Boof, Ferret and Ned.  You all would have met him at one stage in your lives.

 

I had taken a trip to Broken Hill to visit a few the galleries of some prominent Australian artists (Jack Absalom, Pro Hart and Peter Browne to name just a couple of them).  On my return trip to Adelaide, just on dawn I stopped and gazed out at the vast outback surrounding me, a sillouhette of black and blue is what greeted me... the start of 'Old Fred'. I had my first background, added a little of my uncle Bill and every aussie farmer I had met, with my naturally comical sense of humour and well thats the story of the creation of 'Old Fred'

 

I entered one of my early pieces into the Silver City Art Show back in 2009 where I won third prize in my category (naive art), a fair achievement for a hobby painter I thought, especially considering that it's where some of the countries best painters started out.  A year later I re-entered after my style had progressed  and took first prize.   A great self victory I must say.

 

From there the public took a liking to the humour and antics of my work.  And I'm grateful, I take a great pleasure in knowing that it is making people happy.

 

I enjoy painting, it's a constant challenge to come up with quirky situations while trying also to further advance my painting skills.

 

So I'd appreciate it if you took a little more of your time to look through my  work, enjoy a little Aussie outback humour with me!!

 

"That's the whack!!"

 

Email: waddysdogsart@yahoo.com.au

 

Phone: 0403888878