hop dac

Hop Dac, 'Buffalo'

Hello social media platform where I rarely post anything, I have a solo show called ‘Buffalo’ opening 1–3pm this Saturday 15 November at Boom Gallery in Djillang/Geelong.

boomgallery.com.au/blogs/exhibi...

Square painting of three kids on a chesterfield couch surrounded by books, birds, a record player, records, swimming goggles, a vanilla slice. Out the window on the right is a retro caravan on the beach in Apollo Bay.

Painting this at the moment for a dude of his kids. The OG photo of them was on a different couch in a different room. The brief was essentially to give it a vibe like Graeme Base’s ‘Animalia’ so I’ve built this up using all the things they wanted, plus some of my additions to tie it together.

Noooo

‪ 🖕 🥔 ‬

Still life painting of a fried dory and a lemon cut in half on a white plate. Beside it is a small white bowl of rice. Below these are a pair of white chopsticks. It's a birds eye point of view. The objects are on a grey surface of boards that could be a table or the decking of a boat.

30 April is the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War ending. Soon after, people began to flee the country in boats.

We brought rice and lemons to squeeze into drinking water. We caught fish along the way, like this dory that I bought from the local fishmonger.

‘Provisions for a sea voyage’
2025

And as bad as the art market has been, it would be rare for a show to sell nothing at all, so an advance wouldn’t be too much of a risk

Yeah I don’t think commercial galleries do that sort of planning. Maybe some do. But generally every artist with a commercial gallery is subject to the same commission rate and pay schedule, so the more popular artists aren’t making up for the shortfall of riskier ones

That’s nice of them

No. What happens then, do they have to pay it back once their book is out of circulation or do the Tim Wintons of the world make up the difference for them?

There are obviously different economies within the arts. I just want to borrow the advance idea for visual artists, really. I do think that grants and art/writing prizes should be tax free though.

And if you’re a good artist you might have a couple do solo shows a year, if you have a gallery in different territories

And that was from a very good gallery.

Well it’s an advance, so they get more once their sales go over the advance figure. It incentivises galleries to sell work and helps artists with costs of framing and freight. Some galleries also take months to pay their artists. I have an artist friend who didn’t get paid for seven months

Probably proportionate: depends on the artist and the gallery

Norman Rockwell’s’Freedom of speech’ painting

I think artists should get an advance on their solo exhibitions, much like writers do, as a proportion of estimated sales.

Thanks!

Oil painting of a young Vietnamese woman in work clothes lying on a yellow and white tiled floor on top of a crocheted blanket. Beside her is a plastic basket of leafy greens and a chopping board.

Hello, bit slow on the uptake here but I’m a finalist in the Bayside Art Prize with this piece, and am in very good company. The show will run from 9 May to 22 June at Bayside Gallery in Brighton, Melbourne. Congrats to the other finalists.

I'm in a group exhibition 'At home' opening 1pm, Saturday 22 Feb at BoomGallery here in Djilang/Geelong, with artists Anita Iacovella, John Gatip, Jeremy Vander Noord, Jiri Tibor Novak and Raja Norzlipah. You can view the catalogue here:
boomgallery.com.au/blogs/exhibi...
📸 Carli Wilson Photography

Good to make your reacquaintance, Eileen!

The Gero I knew isn’t going to know how to handle this show, Holden. Probably a good thing.

Oil painting of a plate of herbs, including coriander, saw tooth coriander, perilla, Thai basil and garlic chives on an orange table top. Beside it is a small ceramic bowl of dipping sauce with a blue fish in its side and in front of both are a set of phoenix and dragon chopsticks.

A WIP, although it’s almost done. Baskets and plates of herbs on the table have become a recurring motif as they have been a constant for me and probably symbolise Viet home life best.

Thanks, Milla! Me too 🤞

That’s a wrap for 2024. I’ve been a full time artist for over three years and it’s never not been a rollercoaster but fuck I’m grateful for it.

Work in progress still painting of a blue teapot, two green guavas on a greenish, square plate, an orange poppy in a small brown bottle. Behind them a yellow wall is cracking and a large gum moth sits quietly in the top left hand corner.

This is a WIP. A still life with guavas and a gum moth, which can grow to almost hand size

YouTube video by Sky Vibes Fleetwood Mac - Rhiannon (live)

That’s great freakout song. There’s an awesome live version on YouTube: youtu.be/2b9BpunsVmo?...

Oh, this is sad. He was a lovely man.

amp.abc.net.au/article/1047...

Thank you kindly

Hey the world sucks but we’re launching a new writers fest in West Footscray! It’s gonna be very much of, about and for the west (but we won’t check yer passport if you travel in). March 28-30 save the date!

Awesome!

Naw, thanks dudes!