Many, many thanks to all who voted for me in the Perth Heritage Prize. Thanks to your support I won the People's choice, and I'm very grateful for your support.

How to tell if an antique is fake: Prior to the first nuclear bomb detonation in July of 1945, isotopes such as strontium-90 and cesium-137 simply did not exist in nature. Pieces of art and bottles of wine created before 1945 can be tested for cesium, if they contain traces of cesium they would almost certainly be fake.

Quirky art fact: Jackson Pollock often used cigarettes to paint. It's beats inhaling I guess!!

I'm currently in Perth at the Heritage Prize for my painting of Trinity Arcade. The Awards night is tomorrow night which is exciting. Also they have a people's Choice and you can vote by going to the link below. Voting closes Friday (tomorrow) at 5pm though, so please vote quickly!!


http://www.blackswanprize.com.au/heritage_prize/finalists.phtml?Photos_Category_ID=59&Photos_Category=2014&ParentCategoryID=7&ParentCategory=Heritage+Prize+Finalists

Quirky art fact: Salvador Dali believed he was his dead brother's reincarnation. There is also a portrait or a silhouette of Dali in every one of his paintings.

I have two pieces of good news to share:

My painting of the Gothic quarter in Barcelona, 'Bari Gotic' has been accepted as a finalist in the International Artist Magazine. Hopefully I'll be able to buy lots of copies!

 It will be printed in International Artist magazine #100, December/January 2015 issue.

And I'm very happy to be a finalist in Toyota Community Spirit Gallery Sculpture14 Exhibition. It opens Nov 14th. My daughter buying a Toyota Corolla must have brought me luck!!

Opening nights are wonderful. Mainly because you get to chat to other artists and in a profession that can be fairly insular - and that's a real treat. I had a wonderful night last night at the opening of  the portrait Artists Australia exhibition. There are some fantastic portraits there and it's on at the Victorian Artist Society 430 Albert Street East Melboirne until October 20.