15 February 2013

"My Retrospective"

For the month of March 2013, the Gin Gin Courthouse Gallery is proud to present "My Retrospective" by artist Charles Brian Floate.

                                     

Brian began painting at the age of 7 and remembers sending drawings of comic characters to his father who was in the army (1939-1945).  Later at the age of 16, he painted a picture with household paints and a homemade brush, he entitled it "WHAT', this is when he knew painting was something he had to have in his life.

He has been painting on and off until he retired from the police force in 1987 and has been painting seriously ever since.  Brian says, "My teachers have been the Greats of Art, including Rembrandt, Titian and many others, numerous art galleries and many books, videos and basically anywhere I could gain knowledge.  I have successfully taught portrait painting and pencil drawing classes over the years, including teaching at the U3A (University of the Third Age) in Victoria;  I also recently held a portrait sculpture workshop at the Bundaberg Pottery Group."

Brian says that he paints because he has to, it's like Everest, he climbs it because it's there.  He likes portraits, seascapes, landscapes, animals and still life all in realistic style; he loves Max Meldrum, the Heidelberg School, Stretton, Roberts and the rest.  When he sees something that must be painted he must do it straight away no matter the time of day.