Artist Idris Murphy is one of Australia’s leading landscape painters. Idris has been returning to Folwers Gap in far west NSW for many years now, to draw inspiration for his renowned paintings. In this 15 minute film, shot while on the Not the Way Home expedition in 2011, Idris shows us how he begins his paintings in the field. Spontaneity, improvisation, accidents, and strategic mark making all play their part. He’s located in a creek bed near the Ochre House.

  1. Date Posted Icon 11th March 2013
Painting Elisabeth, oil on board, 45 x 75 cm, Steve Lopes. Fowlers Gap: 13 artists paint the desert, at Stella Downer Gallery 22 May-16 June 2012. 

Painting Elisabeth, oil on board, 45 x 75 cm, Steve Lopes.

Fowlers Gap: 13 artists paint the desert, at Stella Downer Gallery 22 May-16 June 2012. 

  1. Date Posted Icon 23rd May 2012
 All the artists from the Not the Way Home expedition gather at Euriowie. Image by Sean O’Brien. Back row l to r: Peter Sharp, Guy Warren, Ross Laurie, Idris Murphy, Merran Esson, Amanda Penrose-Hart, Sarah Bates, Margaret Ackland, Elisabeth Cummings. Front row l to r: Joe Frost, Euan Macleod, Badger Bates, Steve Lopes, Alan Jones, Jennifer Keller-Milne. The arts laboratory on-site at Fowlers Gap has concluded. All the artists will now be working in their studios towards the group exhibition. The exhibition will premiere in May 2012 at the SH Ervin Gallery in Sydney, with a side exhibition at Stella Downer Fine Art, and will then tour, including to the Melbourne Art Fair, Buratti Fine Art Perth, and the New England Regional Art Museum. This blog will remain online as an archive document of the field work. To view the journey in sequence please commence on page 9 and work back to this point. Thanks for joining us on the journey. See you soon!

 All the artists from the Not the Way Home expedition gather at Euriowie. Image by Sean O’Brien.

Back row l to r: Peter Sharp, Guy Warren, Ross Laurie, Idris Murphy, Merran Esson, Amanda Penrose-Hart, Sarah Bates, Margaret Ackland, Elisabeth Cummings. Front row l to r: Joe Frost, Euan Macleod, Badger Bates, Steve Lopes, Alan Jones, Jennifer Keller-Milne.

The arts laboratory on-site at Fowlers Gap has concluded. All the artists will now be working in their studios towards the group exhibition. The exhibition will premiere in May 2012 at the SH Ervin Gallery in Sydney, with a side exhibition at Stella Downer Fine Art, and will then tour, including to the Melbourne Art Fair, Buratti Fine Art Perth, and the New England Regional Art Museum.

This blog will remain online as an archive document of the field work. To view the journey in sequence please commence on page 9 and work back to this point.

Thanks for joining us on the journey. See you soon!

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 7D
  2. Aperture: f/8
  3. Exposure: 1/200th
  4. Focal Length: 15mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 14th June 2011
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 1

In this first wrap-up audio-slideshow, 6 of the artists talk about their reaction to the landscape, and share their work. Featuring Elisabeth Cummings, Guy Warren, Jennifer Keeler-Milne, Merron Esson, Euan Macleod, and Steve Lopes.

  1. Date Posted Icon 14th June 2011
Works in progress: Ross Laurie, wax on paper.

Works in progress: Ross Laurie, wax on paper.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 7D
  2. Aperture: f/7.1
  3. Exposure: 1/125th
  4. Focal Length: 16mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 30th May 2011
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 17
Works in progress: Ross Laurie, charcoal and pigment on paper.

Works in progress: Ross Laurie, charcoal and pigment on paper.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 7D
  2. Aperture: f/4.5
  3. Exposure: 1/50th
  4. Focal Length: 31mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 30th May 2011
Works in progress: Peter Sharp, various media on paper.

Works in progress: Peter Sharp, various media on paper.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 7D
  2. Aperture: f/9
  3. Exposure: 1/160th
  4. Focal Length: 24mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 30th May 2011
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 1
Works in progress: Peter Sharp, various media on paper.

Works in progress: Peter Sharp, various media on paper.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 7D
  2. Aperture: f/10
  3. Exposure: 1/250th
  4. Focal Length: 15mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 30th May 2011
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 1
Works in progress: Idris Murphy, acrylic on board.

Works in progress: Idris Murphy, acrylic on board.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 7D
  2. Aperture: f/4.5
  3. Exposure: 1/50th
  4. Focal Length: 15mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 30th May 2011
Works in progress: Guy Warren, watercolour on paper.

Works in progress: Guy Warren, watercolour on paper.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 7D
  2. Aperture: f/5
  3. Exposure: 1/50th
  4. Focal Length: 20mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 30th May 2011
Works in progress: Jennifer Keeler Milne, charcoal on paper.

Works in progress: Jennifer Keeler Milne, charcoal on paper.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 7D
  2. Aperture: f/4.5
  3. Exposure: 1/60th
  4. Focal Length: 32mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 30th May 2011
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 19
Works in progress: Alan Jones, ink on paper.

Works in progress: Alan Jones, ink on paper.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 7D
  2. Aperture: f/8
  3. Exposure: 1/200th
  4. Focal Length: 15mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 30th May 2011
Works in progress: Alan Jones, acrylic and collage on paper.

Works in progress: Alan Jones, acrylic and collage on paper.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 7D
  2. Aperture: f/4.5
  3. Exposure: 1/50th
  4. Focal Length: 32mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 30th May 2011
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 3
Sunset over the big dam, Fowlers Gap.

Sunset over the big dam, Fowlers Gap.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 7D
  2. Aperture: f/7.1
  3. Exposure: 1/125th
  4. Focal Length: 15mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 26th May 2011
Late afternoon at Fowlers Gap.

Late afternoon at Fowlers Gap.

  1. Camera: Panasonic DMC-LX2
  2. Aperture: f/5.6
  3. Exposure: 1/320th
  4. Focal Length: 6mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 26th May 2011