Bays and Beaches: The Art of Brian Kewley

Melbourne artist, Brian Kewley, was born in 1933 about 100 metres from Hamptons bayside beach. He has lived, sailed, fished and painted there all his life. The subjects of his paintings include Elwood, Point Ormond, St. Kilda and Port Melbourne, for it is these locations that have inspired his art. Many are painted on the spot in an attempt to capture the light, movement and dazzle of the water. Other subjects, like Brighton Beach, have been painted from an aerial perspective some, like the Sandringham Yacht Club, from the roof of his house. His subjects later extended to the Peninsula as far as Flinders and to the city of Melbourne which he painted from his office high up in 101 Collins Street. A veteran of more than 22 solo exhibitions since 1965, Brian Kewleys paintings evoke immense pleasure while they record the changes that Melbourne has undergone over past years. The book has more than 100 colour reproductions. Author, Ronald Millar, has written: Port Phillip is not just a useful subject for him; hes lived it. For him, its the local equivalent of Italys La Divine Costiera: The Heavenly Coast.