Michael Nicholas - Mutual Respect 2016 - exhibition page
Please use the contact form at the bottom of the page for more details and prices of Michael's work.
|
Born - Qld
Resides - Brisbane, Queensland Michael Nicholas emigrated from the UK as a 16 year old. Early careers took him to remote areas and as a Queensland Police officer he was posted to Cunnamulla which ignited his enduring love for the Outback. He had always painted, but this stunning new environment spurred him back to college to study for his new profession which he has followed since the 1970s. His evocative scenes with native birds have led him to illustrate Dorothea McKellar’s “My Country” and be appointed a Government artist in residence at Girraween National Park. He was also commissioned to paint all the Queensland Premiers from 1860 to 1946 and has completed a series of bronze sculptures, most notably The Cunnamulla Fella. Nicholas’ paintings are to be found in public & private collections including the Queensland Art Gallery. Please note -
You can contact us directly for more information or prices on this exhibition. 07-5429 6404 or admin@artoncairncross.com.au Many Thanks, Jane and Tony |
Below are the paintings by Michael Nicholas for the "Mutual Respect" exhibition.
In 1992 he was appointed to the Queensland Government “Artists in Parks” program and completed a residency at Girraween National Park.
In 1996 the book “I Love a Sunburnt Country” was released featuring a series of Michael’s paintings to accompany Dorothea MacKellar’s iconic poem “My Country”.
Following this time and a couple of trips to the UK to complete commissions and study European artworks, Michael found much of his time taken in portrait painting for both individuals and organisations. His art also took a new direction with the completion of a series of abstract paintings, then religious works and 4 bronze sculptures for a heritage walk in Brisbane.
In 2000 the Queensland Government commissioned a portrait of former Premier the Hon. E.G. Theodore for Parliament House and this led on to an entire project to paint all of the Premiers from 1860 to 1946 and several contemporary parliamentarians including then Premier Peter Beattie.
In 2002 “Portrait of the Painter” was held at Redcliffe Regional Art Gallery as a 30 year retrospective exhibition to celebrate the artist’s 60th birthday and 30 year career.
In 2005 Michael designed “The Cunnamulla Fella”, a 2.5m bronze sculpture which stands proudly in Cunnamulla, Qld.
Throughout his career Michael has been awarded many times including the Redcliffe Prize; Royal National Association Landscape Prize; Beenleigh Art Prize; Queensland Art Gallery Trustees Art Prize; Suncorp Art Prize; Aberdare Art Prize and more.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS;
1970 McInnes Gallery, Brisbane, Qld.
1971 Design Arts Centre, Brisbane, Qld.
1973 Hesley Galleries, Orange, NSW
1974 Martin Gallery, Townsville, Qld.
1975 Bakehouse Gallery, Mackay, Qld.
1976 Bowker Gallery, Brisbane, Qld.
1977 Tia Galleries, Toowoomba, Qld.
1978 Studio Zero, Gold Coast, Qld.
1980 Cooks Hill Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
1981 Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery, Stanthorpe, Qld.
1985 Australian Art Expo, San Francisco & Los Angeles, USA
1987 Upstairs Gallery, Cairns, Qld.
1989 Town Gallery, Brisbane, Qld.
1992 Waterfront Place, Brisbane, Qld.
2016 "Mutual Respect" (with Rex Backhaus-Smith, Rick Everingham and Tom McAulay) June - Art on Cairncross
SELECTED COLLECTIONS;
Queensland Art Gallery Commonwealth Govt. Art Bank
Perc Tucker Regional Art Gallery, Townsville Brisbane City Gallery
Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery Griffith University
Queensland Univeristy of Technology University of New England
Moreton Bay Regional Council James Cook University, Townsville
Parliament House, Qld.
and many private collections far and wide.
In 1996 the book “I Love a Sunburnt Country” was released featuring a series of Michael’s paintings to accompany Dorothea MacKellar’s iconic poem “My Country”.
Following this time and a couple of trips to the UK to complete commissions and study European artworks, Michael found much of his time taken in portrait painting for both individuals and organisations. His art also took a new direction with the completion of a series of abstract paintings, then religious works and 4 bronze sculptures for a heritage walk in Brisbane.
In 2000 the Queensland Government commissioned a portrait of former Premier the Hon. E.G. Theodore for Parliament House and this led on to an entire project to paint all of the Premiers from 1860 to 1946 and several contemporary parliamentarians including then Premier Peter Beattie.
In 2002 “Portrait of the Painter” was held at Redcliffe Regional Art Gallery as a 30 year retrospective exhibition to celebrate the artist’s 60th birthday and 30 year career.
In 2005 Michael designed “The Cunnamulla Fella”, a 2.5m bronze sculpture which stands proudly in Cunnamulla, Qld.
Throughout his career Michael has been awarded many times including the Redcliffe Prize; Royal National Association Landscape Prize; Beenleigh Art Prize; Queensland Art Gallery Trustees Art Prize; Suncorp Art Prize; Aberdare Art Prize and more.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS;
1970 McInnes Gallery, Brisbane, Qld.
1971 Design Arts Centre, Brisbane, Qld.
1973 Hesley Galleries, Orange, NSW
1974 Martin Gallery, Townsville, Qld.
1975 Bakehouse Gallery, Mackay, Qld.
1976 Bowker Gallery, Brisbane, Qld.
1977 Tia Galleries, Toowoomba, Qld.
1978 Studio Zero, Gold Coast, Qld.
1980 Cooks Hill Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
1981 Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery, Stanthorpe, Qld.
1985 Australian Art Expo, San Francisco & Los Angeles, USA
1987 Upstairs Gallery, Cairns, Qld.
1989 Town Gallery, Brisbane, Qld.
1992 Waterfront Place, Brisbane, Qld.
2016 "Mutual Respect" (with Rex Backhaus-Smith, Rick Everingham and Tom McAulay) June - Art on Cairncross
SELECTED COLLECTIONS;
Queensland Art Gallery Commonwealth Govt. Art Bank
Perc Tucker Regional Art Gallery, Townsville Brisbane City Gallery
Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery Griffith University
Queensland Univeristy of Technology University of New England
Moreton Bay Regional Council James Cook University, Townsville
Parliament House, Qld.
and many private collections far and wide.