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Tony Fairweather

Member of the Australian Guild of Realist Artists

As a boy I was forever sketching and exploring the environment of rural Strathalbyn, or moulding plasticene by torchlight in the secrecy of the bedroom. These early artistic tendencies were held in check with years of teaching and family commitments, until with encouragement and prodding of family and friends, they bubbled uncontrollably to the surface in 1987.

My good friend Penny Dowie finally eased me into a first exhibition at Ian Roberts’ Medika Gallery. The early fine pencil sketches of interesting people developed into rich pastels capturing the colour and grandeur of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, as well as continuing my character studies.

A chance meeting with Czech artist, Jan Novotny, led to 7 years of study with him. Jan’s experience and background in painting techniques and colour theory opened my eyes in a different way and gave me an incurable love of oils.

I have successfully exhibited in numerous art shows in South Australia. In 1999 the love of art overwhelmed my love of teaching, and I left teaching to work full-time in art from my studio in Victor Harbor.

After a successful venture in the 2002 South Australian Living Artist’s Festival, fellow artist, Rod McCallum and I decided to form a small group to promote our art. We invited Rhonda Smith and Glenn Irvine to join us, and “Three Beards and a Bird” was formed. Our inaugural exhibition was held in January 2003. We continued exhibiting together for the next 2 years until one of our members left the district.

Successful exhibitions at Lombard Gallery and Glenelg Fine Art in Adelaide led to exhibitions in the Coonawara wine growing region of South Australia, where the “Seascape” series was launched.

With high demand for the “Seascape” series I ventured to Melbourne and currently exhibit at Sorrento and Flinders Fine Art.