Ep 21: McLean Edwards

One of Australia’s most outstanding painters, McLean Edwards had his first solo show at 16 years of age when he was still at high school.

Since then he has had 30 solo exhibitions with his most recent, ‘Marsupials’, about to open in New York at Olsen Gruin Gallery. He is a five time Archibald Prize finalist and has been included in the Archibald as a sitter four times.

His compelling paintings invite us to enter another world where his characters’ lives and motives are limited only by our imaginations.

In this podcast interview, Edwards talks about how that first solo show came about, why he was later kicked out of art school and why he doesn’t usually take portrait commissions.

He also reveals interesting background details about his Archibald finalist portraits of Tim Storrier and Cate Blanchett.

To hear the podcast interview press ‘play’ above and see below for the paintings we talk about and a short video taken on the day of the interview.

Upcoming events

• Solo exhibition, ‘Marsupials’, Olsen Gruin, New York, May 13 – June 11, 2017


• Scott Livesey Galleries, Melbourne, November, 2017

Things and people we talk about on the show

• McLean Edwards at Olsen Gallery


• McLean Edwards at Olsen Gruin


• McLean Edwards on Instagram


• Canberra School of Art


• David Williams


• Dadaism


• National Gallery of Australia


• Sidney Nolan


• Donald Friend


• Norman Lindsay


• Nigel Thomson


• Archibald Prize


• Tim Storrier


• Cate Blanchett


• Andrew Upton


• Sam Leach


• William Dobell


• Dobell’s winning Archibald portrait of Margaret Olley


• Hughes Gallery


• Nicholas Harding


• Tim Olsen


• ‘For the Love of God’ by Damien Hirst (diamond skull)


• Ken Done


• McLean Edwards on the Talking with Painters YouTube channel (below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrV0KMyQK4s

‘Marsupials #2’, 2017, oil on linen, 61″ x 66.5″

‘Tim Storrier’, 2010, oil on canvas, 183 x 168cm

‘Cate Blanchett and Family’, 2006, oil on canvas, 159cm x 150cm

‘Hourglass’ 2017, oil on linen, 54″ x 78″

‘Train Stop’ 2013, oil on canvas 168 x 152cm

‘Art Student #18’ 2016, oil on canvas, 107 x 97cm

‘Nabokov’s Mistress #1’ 2012, oil on canvas, 183 x 213cm

‘The Cavalry’ 2014, oil on canvas, 124 x 102cm

‘Ghost Drop’ 2013, oil on canvas, 122 x 183cm

Drawings posted by Edwards on Instagram – ink, coloured pen, texta