ANZACS
Tom McAulay
April 22 - 30, 2017
Tom McAulay
April 22 - 30, 2017
Tom McAulay - Anzacs
In this centenary year of the battle of Beersheba, there will be lots of reasons to contemplate the sacrifices made by servicemen. This is a topic which has long interested artist Tom McAulay.
While the First World War is naturally the focus of the centenary, the artworks cover many theatres of war through to Vietnam. Australian and New Zealand troops have been involved often as Commonwealth conscripts or obviously as regular servicemen, but have always been highly respected as fighters and comrades.
Earlier conflicts were especially harsh not just for the fighting, but for the general conditions. Tom McAulay does not shy away from the realities of combat, but he certainly does not glorify violence. There is a distinct pathos and poignancy in paintings like “Hard Tack and Billy Tea” where the day to day existence of the men is immediately apparent and then there are adrenaline-fuelled images such as “Leading the Charge!” showing a light-horseman with sword drawn, in full flight.
Gallipoli is featured with a depiction of the landings. This painting hints at the enormity of the scene and the numbers involved, but it is also full of menace with billowing clouds of smoke. The atmosphere of urgency, expectation and organized chaos is clear, as the soldiers hit the beach and head towards their unknown fate.
Tom McAulay has always been aware of the ongoing casualties war creates. The long-term mental scars, which were hidden away as socially unacceptable until recent conflicts. In “The Last Anzac”, the aged veteran is portrayed amid an array of First World War vignettes of memories circling his head. But it is the contrast between the proud row of medals on his chest and the deep sadness in his eyes, which gives the real insight into the complexities. The Anzac tradition of mateship was forged in this era and is now an integral part of the Australian character, something which this renowned Queensland artist has seen in another context painting stockmen and bushmen.
In history, art was the way to record events, from battles to celebrations. The advent of photography, wider freedom of the press and now the age of the internet has brought direct images into all of our lives, but art can now be a more expressive medium to stimulate deeper consideration of these matters. Hopefully this collection of drawings and paintings can do just that, by inspiring pride and gratitude while showing the futility of war.
While the First World War is naturally the focus of the centenary, the artworks cover many theatres of war through to Vietnam. Australian and New Zealand troops have been involved often as Commonwealth conscripts or obviously as regular servicemen, but have always been highly respected as fighters and comrades.
Earlier conflicts were especially harsh not just for the fighting, but for the general conditions. Tom McAulay does not shy away from the realities of combat, but he certainly does not glorify violence. There is a distinct pathos and poignancy in paintings like “Hard Tack and Billy Tea” where the day to day existence of the men is immediately apparent and then there are adrenaline-fuelled images such as “Leading the Charge!” showing a light-horseman with sword drawn, in full flight.
Gallipoli is featured with a depiction of the landings. This painting hints at the enormity of the scene and the numbers involved, but it is also full of menace with billowing clouds of smoke. The atmosphere of urgency, expectation and organized chaos is clear, as the soldiers hit the beach and head towards their unknown fate.
Tom McAulay has always been aware of the ongoing casualties war creates. The long-term mental scars, which were hidden away as socially unacceptable until recent conflicts. In “The Last Anzac”, the aged veteran is portrayed amid an array of First World War vignettes of memories circling his head. But it is the contrast between the proud row of medals on his chest and the deep sadness in his eyes, which gives the real insight into the complexities. The Anzac tradition of mateship was forged in this era and is now an integral part of the Australian character, something which this renowned Queensland artist has seen in another context painting stockmen and bushmen.
In history, art was the way to record events, from battles to celebrations. The advent of photography, wider freedom of the press and now the age of the internet has brought direct images into all of our lives, but art can now be a more expressive medium to stimulate deeper consideration of these matters. Hopefully this collection of drawings and paintings can do just that, by inspiring pride and gratitude while showing the futility of war.
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Click here to see other works by Tom McAulay |
Tom McAulay
Oils, Acrylics and Drawing Born: Innisfail, North Queensland. Resides: North of Brisbane, Queensland Artist Information Tom McAulay was born in Innisfail in North Queensland. He studied art under both Arthur Evan Read and Andrew Sibley, but it was his own observations of life around him that have inspired most of his work. His early rural life and later travels around Australia laid the foundations for his portrayal of subjects such as the Outback, vast landscapes and birdlife, characters of the Bush and from the Far North, or country race tracks. Years of Brisbane living brought new material form the suburbs and especially the sports of football, cricket and boxing which started to feature in many paintings. But it is still for his wonderful portrayals of stockyard characters that Tom is probably best known. Tom, like most artists, paints as an expression of feeling about a subject, but he continues to work hard at his chosen profession. He does not seek the limelight, despite hugely successful exhibitions over the years in major galleries in Brisbane, Melbourne, Cairns, Toowoomba, Sydney and Darwin. His quintessential Australian paintings and drawings are to be found in public and private collections in Australia and worldwide |
“The Last Anzac” - Limited edition print - 49x64cm - Edition of 50
Mates Reminiscing - Acrylic on Canvas - 51x51cm
Into the Turkish Fire, Anzac Cove - Acrylic on Board - 35x44cm
Hard Tack & Billy Tea, Gallipoli - Acrylic on Board - 39x49cm
Storming the Turkish Trenches, Gallipoli - Oil on Board - 29x60cm
Leading the Charge, Beersheeba - Oil on Board - 29x45cm
Charge of the Lighthorse, Beersheba - Limited Edition print - 60x90cm Edition of 50
Over the Turkish Trenches - Graphite - 20x29cm
Crossing the Duckboards, Ypres - Oil on Board - 35x45cm
Lighthorseman - Oil on Board - 49x39cm
World War II
Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels - Acrylic on Canvas- 60x75cm
Vietnam
Vietnam Soldier - Oil on Board - 58x41cm
All Aboard, Return to Base - Oil on Canvas - 47x69cm
Recent exhibitions - Tom McAulay
2010
"Tom McAulay's Outback" exhibition
April
Chinchilla - White Gums Gallery
May
Longreach - Stockmans Hall of Fame
July
Maleny - Art on Cairncross
2013
June
Maleny - Art on Cairncross
2014
"Stock and Station"
November - Art on Cairncross
2015
"One Land, Three Views"
with Rex Backhaus-Smith & Jim Kinch
Miles - Dogwood Crossing Gallery
"ANZACS"
April - Art on Cairncross
2016
"Mutual Respect"
with Rick Everingham, Mike Nicholas and Rex Backhaus-Smith.
at Art on Cairncross, Maleny
2010
"Tom McAulay's Outback" exhibition
April
Chinchilla - White Gums Gallery
May
Longreach - Stockmans Hall of Fame
July
Maleny - Art on Cairncross
2013
June
Maleny - Art on Cairncross
2014
"Stock and Station"
November - Art on Cairncross
2015
"One Land, Three Views"
with Rex Backhaus-Smith & Jim Kinch
Miles - Dogwood Crossing Gallery
"ANZACS"
April - Art on Cairncross
2016
"Mutual Respect"
with Rick Everingham, Mike Nicholas and Rex Backhaus-Smith.
at Art on Cairncross, Maleny
