ARTIST David Darcy only picked up a paintbrush full-time a couple of years ago, but it's been a whirlwind of success since.
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The Murrurundi artist has been named a finalist in the Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award for his oil painting 'Bernie and Billy - Local Heroes'.
Portrait subject Bernie Shakeshaft is the founder of Armidale's BackTrack, a program which takes in local teens and young adults to help them reach their goals after a tough start at life.
It's an initiative which helped Mr Shakeshaft win the 2020 NSW Local Hero of the Year Award.
Mr Darcy said he chose to include the canine in the painting because dogs play a key role in Mr Shakeshaft's work with kids.
"It's a huge element to what Bernie does," he said.
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And it's how the two men first crossed paths more than a decade ago.
"That's how I met Bernie ... the first time was when I was entrenched in my dog photo career," Mr Darcy said.
"Now I've come full circle to paint the dog."
Mr Darcy lives in the Upper Hunter town of Murrurundi and told the Leader he tries to capture people from regional areas doing incredible things for his paintings.
"Having subjects that inspire me is incredibly important," he said.
"I'm living out here, I'm here feeling the hardships and I want to represent regional Australia and regional NSW.
"I'm just chuffed to be getting the exposure."
Mr Darcy's original plan was to paint Mr Shakeshaft for the 2020 Archibald Prize.
But the COVID-19 pandemic meant brushes down for Archibald artists when the exhibition was postponed from its start date of May this year.
Mr Darcy said he thought it would be a shame for his painting not to get exhibited, so it ended up in the Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award, where it has been named a finalist.
The Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award finalist artworks are on display at the Bega Valley Regional Gallery from July 27 to September 12.
The winner is set to be announced on July 24.
Mr Darcy said the plan is to try and get his painting to the Armidale art gallery for locals to visit after it comes back from down south.
"It's one thing to see something online, but it's so much nicer to stand in front of an artwork and see all its bumps and bruises," Mr Darcy said.
Mr Darcy found out he was a finalist in the competition within 24 hours of being announced as the winner of the People's Choice Award in the National Portrait Gallery's Darling Portrait Prize, for his painting of local environmentalist Wendy Bowman.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
