heading north
"Line of a Tropical Shore' Detail. Gold Leaf, Oil and Acrylic paint on box board stretcher 160 x 120 cm 2023Heading North. Open till the 30th of November 2023. The book is now available. Where?
30 Florence Street Teneriffe Open Weekdays Closed Weekends
It was nearly June in Brisbane and my thoughts started to head North to the Wet Tropics again.
The cold had now set in and my locale had already experienced minus two in recent weeks with continuing
morning temperatures swinging between two and four. This was persuasive in my current state and mood to pack up the car and head off with my paint box, some paper and fishing rods. I now craved the sweet smell of the forest and air on Dunk as well as at El Arish and the Turquoise Sea.
With time running away it had been almost two years since I visited my favorite Shambhala (Shangri-La) on planet Earth.
In a past time I had been lucky enough to visit the Sky Cave realm of Mustang in Western Nepal where this term has been used and I could see the possibility that this was the place although it was the original gateway from India to Tibet and China it now faced risks and challenges from
political upheaval and progress with a proportion of the caves raided by local robbers looking to make easy money from collectors of the old
documents and paintings they contained.
Nothing was being documented for the records as the ancient books were being torn apart and sold page by page.
This area was no longer protected or being saved from these encroachments.
On arrival at the beach I was here home once again. I could see my objective in the distance hung with heavy cloud.
They hugged Dunk in the clear morning air as if embracing the green undulation of its wonderful rain forest.
A drip dripped on my nose and made its way down to my lips so I could taste its sweetness.
A tear drop from the sky.
Out there further were the Coral Bommies and Swim Throughs as diverse as they could ever be at Taylor and Beaver and beyond.
Ben and Eva.
A memory sprung up of remembering feeding the Reef Sharks with chicken bones from the edge of one of the Cays and a Bronze Whaler as big as a VW Beetle floating motionless sucking in the morning tide on the Southern side of the Reef.
In those days encounters were common especially with Reef Sharks and Scorpion Fish.
Nothing has changed.
The Plate Coral and Gorgonian were prevalent and stunning as the last cyclone Winifred had past almost ten years before.
The reef had shown resilience.
Soon there will be new encounters of the Toothy kind as I guide my Ship of Fools to greater depths.
I was aware of the sixteen foot hammerhead that inhabited Yamacutta swimming through the clear blue with its dorsal cutting more than sixty centimetres above the surface.
A perfect line in the blue.
Somehow these memories are never forgotten or lost, they are just stored for further reference, remembering and writings.
The ghosts of the past come floating back to take on new life and to spur you on to your next adventure in the sunshine and the blue.
Don't go too deep as the colours will fade although the shape of the “Friendship’ far above you speaks to you of safety.
Do your deep dive first and earn your sit time amongst the waves and tell stories to your buddies.
The next will be shallow, full of colour and uncaring consciousness.
Welcome to the Blue.
This is the in between to the edge, the wall of the fall from the peak where the Dog Tooth Tuna play and dodge the bigger sharks that snarl and
point their fins down in anger to protect their mythical territory against you the invader.
The vis stands clear and unmeasured and fades away into the depths to nothingness.
Banfield encouraged me as did Helen Mirren, James Mason and John Coburn on this journey.
Nothing is forgotten or even forgiven.
"Out of Darkness' Detail. Gold Leaf, Oil and Acrylic paint on box board stretcher 160 x 120 cm 2023CV and Biographical Detail
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2025 "A Sound Like Rain' Exhibition with ISBN Registered Book. A New way of Celebrating the Australian Landscape.
2023 "Undercurrent" Exhibition and Book Release
2023 "Heading North' Exhibition and Book Release
2021 "Changing Perspectives" Exhibition and Book Release Florence Street Space
2020 "A Shifting Tide" August Brisbane
2020/2019 "Accelerator" London Offices Teneriffe Brisbane
2006 "Paintings from Nature" The Art Factory Brisbane August 2006
2006 Davson Gallery "Sculptures from Canvas"
2005 "Art of the Non Objective Landscape" New Works with Rejected canvas Landscapes, Chinchilla Whitegums Gallery
2005 "Art of the Non Objective Landscape" Works in Bamboo Jasu Gallery Brisbane
2004 " Landscape & Textures from the Shore to the Sky" Rejected Items. Texas Regional Art Gallery
2004 "Shorelines" New Textural and Assemblage recycled items and Landscapes. Cooloola Shire Public Gallery
2004 "Working Plein Air" Sheraton Hotel Brisbane
2004 "Landscapes from the Rim" New textural and assemblage works using Rejected and Recycled Art, Boonah Regional Gallery
2004 'Recent Seascapes' The Sofitel Brisbane Central
2004 "Water and Light" New Oil Panels. The Bundaberg Arts Centre
2003 "Water and Light" Specific use of light in Abstractions. Butter Factory Arts Centre Cooroy
2002 "Recent Paintings" Augelo's New farm
2001 " Painting demonstrations" Port Office Hotel Brisbane
2000 "Moreton Island Series" Fox Studios Brisbane
2000 "Sand Island Paintings" Queensland Law Society Brisbane
Selected Associate Exhibitions
2024 Ipswich Civic Centre
2024 "The Land Between, Above and Below' Florence Street Teneriffe
2023 "Up Late' Ipswich Civic Centre
2021 'Tide Line" with John Dahlsen Book Release and Exhibition
2008 "New Beginnings" Waterfront Place Brisbane city
2007 "River City" Waterfront Place 1 Eagle Street Brisbane
2007 "Psychedelia" CBD Gallery Brisbane
2006 St Sebastian's Biennial exhibition
2006 "The Windows of Opportunity"Brisbane Power House with · Bree Amer
Catherine Anderson, Mike "Banx" Banks, Robyn Bauer, Robert Coleby, Angela Davies, Gavin Dickey, Daisy Dickey, Hannah
Evans, Scott Goddard, Mike Goldman, Travis Hendrix, David Hinchliffe, Kerry Holland, Mary Ibrahim, Kirra Jamison, Justin
Lavender, Tiffiny Laverack, Adrian Lewinski, Natasha Lewis, Christine Maudy, John Morris, Nuuna, Danielle O'Brien, Jim
Olsson, Sam Poursh, Cliff Sheldrake, Emma Sheldrake, Starr, Maxine Stibbe, Margaret Underdown, Chris Williams, Simon Won
2006 Carnival Exhibition CBD Brisbane
2005 "The Doors" Brisbane Power House with Bree Amer,
Anthony Bennett, Cathy Bevis, John Clements, Robert Coleby, Natalie Cook,John Dahlsen, Design College of Australia, Donna
Gee, Mike Goldman, David Hinchliffe, Malcolm Hooper, Mary-Paula Ibrahim, Jan Jorgensen, Tracey Keller, Jack Kennedy,
Brett Lethbridge, Adrian Lewinski, Shane Macfarlane, Felicity Mason, Simon Mclean, Moorooka Day Service, John Morris,
Nuuna, Sammaneh Poursh, Christine Sheldrake, Cliff Sheldrake, Emma Sheldrake, Maxine Stibbe Margaret Underdown, Pam
Walpole & Simon Wong
2005 Jasu Gallery Brisbane
2005 Churchie Emerging Art Prize (Finalist)
2005 "Exposed" Jasu Gallery Brisbane
2003 "Following the Sun" Fox Galleries with Louis Ricaud / Michael Ciavarella
2002 "Indian Summer" Grosvnor on George with John Dahlsen
2002 "Transformations" Fox Galleries with Louis Ricaud and Mark Davies
2001 "Third Annual Eclectic" Fox Galleries Brisbane
2001 "Recent Paintings" Port Office Hotel Brisbane
2001 "Colours of the Bay" Fox Galleries Brisbane with Louis Ricaud
2000 "Annual Eclectic" Fox Galleries Brisbane with Louis Riquad, Anthony Lister, John Dahlsen.
1992 "Art and Soul" Brisbane Art Directors McWhirters Art Space Fortitude Valley
1990 "Art and Soul" Brisbane Art Directors Waterfront Place Brisbane
1990 "Group Showing' Queensland Art Gallery Grey Street South Brisbane
1989 "Art and Soul" Brisbane Art Directors Riverside centre Brisbane
1989 "Logan Art Award" Logan City
1988 "Logan Art Award" John Paul College Logan City
1988 "Fusions Gallery Brunswick Street Fortitude Valley
1987 "Aberdare Art Prize' Ipswich
1989 Logan Art Award (Certificate of Merit Award) Judged by Doug Hall, Queensland Art Gallery Director
1975 Royal National Art Prize (Highly Recommended)
1972 Ipswich Open Portrait Prize (Outright winner) Portrait of Shane
1972 Ipswich Open Art Prize (Outright Winner)
Reviews, Print and Articles
Fryer Manuscripts, University of Queensland (Current)
My Village News 2019
The Chronicle July 2007
The Courier Mail 28th of August 2006"
A time to Listen, A Time to Speak Out" Ken Green 2006
Australian Art Collector July 2006
Art Almanac August 2006
Art Almanac July 2006
Gatton Star February 2006
ABC Television "Stateline" 19th and 20th of August 2005
Felicity Mason "Arts for Arts Sake" August 2005
Redcliffe Herald April 2005
Australian Art Collector April 2005
Sassy Magazine October 2004
MacIntyre Gazzette October 2004
The Gympie Times 7th of July 2004
Peter Dobe Composes "Shorelines" for the "Shorelines" Exhibition Gympie Flute and electronic July 2004
Fassifern Gaudian 9th of April 2004
Rim FM Margaret Opperman April 2004
News Mail Bundaberg 27th of January 2004
News Mail Bundaberg 24th of January 2004
News Mail Bundaberg 16th of January 2004
Coastline Tourist January 2004
The Arty Farty Show 21st of January 2004
Sea FM 93.1 January / February 2004
My Village News 2019
Northern News 2006
Art Almanac 200
3Fox Galleries 2006
ABC Radio Wide Bay January 2004
Eyeline Calendar 2004
Half Arts Noosa Community Radio November 2003
Noosa News 5th of December 2003
Noosa News 7th of August 2003
Hervey Bay Observer 28th of January 2003
Antiques and Art in Queensland November to March 2002 to 2003 edition
Brisbane News 7th August 2002
Whats Hot Sunday Mail 18th of August 2002
Hervey Bay Observer May 2002
Art and Antiques in Queensland July to November edition 2002
Life Magazine Courier Mail Saturday April 20th 2002
Interviews, Connections and Conversations
2024 24th of June Interview with Noosa.Radio with Maxine Stibbe Broadcast Live Australia Wide
2024 May. Interview with Bronwyn Holm about the new book "Kathmandu Taxi'
202414th of March . Letter from Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner about the Marion Barter Postcards.
2024 January. Meets with Sally Leydon to discuss help and directions with fund raising to discover more of the path that Marion Barter ( The Lady Vanishes) took before disappearing without a trace more than 27 years ago.
2023 31st of December New years eave Meeting and discussions with Professor Boonchuay Doojai, Visiting Lecturer, MCU, Chiang Mai and Dr Chitchanok Tupthai, MA English, CMRU, Phd Buddhism, MCU CM Chiang
2023 July. Heading North Interview with Nittaya Inphirut
20226th of June. Letter from Prince Charles about the Tide Line book.
2021 23rd of November, Letter from Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner about the Tide Line book.
2004 22nd of January News Mail Bundaberg
2004 January Australian Broadcasting Corporation Wayne Shearman Wide Bay
2003 August The Arty Farty Show Noosa Community Radio
2003 November Half Arts Vanessa Brown Noosa FM 101.3
Books
"A Sound Like Rain' ISBN 979-8-89660-983-4 2024
"Heading North" ISBN 979-8-89184-849-8 Release date 10-10-2023
“Undercurrent. The Other Brush Twenty Years Later.' 2023 ISBN 979-8-89184-596-1
“The Art of Don Hill” Contemporary works 2002 - 2006" First edition 2023 ISBN 978-1-64713-946-9
"Changing Perspectives’ 2021 ISBN 978-1-63848-509-4
“Tide Line” third edition 2021 ISBN 978-1-64826-235-7
“Remnant” second edition 2022 / 2023 ISBN 978-1-64713-493-8
“Tide Line” second edition 2020 ISBN 978-1-64826-235-7
“Rainmaker” 1st Edition 2019
“Accelerator” 2019 ISBN 978-1-64606-420-5
“A Shifting Tide” 2020 ISBN978-1-64786-877-2
"A time to Listen, A Time to Speak Out" Ken Green 2006
"Footsteps of the Fools" 2002 - 2023 ISBN 0-646-46269-5 Release to be announced
‘Kathmandu Taxi’ 2024 ISBN979-8-89443-911-2
Collections
State Library of Queensland
National Library of Australia
Ipswich City Library
Brisbane City Council Libraries
Parliamentary Library of Queensland
State Library of New South Wales
Parliamentary Library of New South Wales
Faculty of Art, Chiang Mai University Thailand
Parliamentary Library, Parliament House, Canberra ACT
Chiang Mai University Library
University of Port Harcourt Library Nigeria
Aurora University Library , Illinois, United States
Brigham Young University Library , United States
Painting and Sculpture Collections: Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra United States Switzerland
Historical Information
2024 “Kathmandu Taxi” ISBN979-8-89443-911-2
2024 Revisits his past experiences in Far North Queensland and commences work on the Oasis book and set of paintings of the same title.2023 Meets with Professor Boonchuay Doojai, Visiting Lecturer, MCU, Chiang Mai and Dr Chitchanok Tupthai, MA English, CMRU, Phd Buddhism, MCU CM Conversation about the changing face of modern art and how Heading North came about. Presents several books for the Chiang Mai University Art Faculty.
2023 "Undercurrent' ISBN 979-8-89184-596-1 New book with works using sustainable materials such as Bamboo and Banana Trunk.
This book is a Supplement to The Art of Don Hill, Contemporary Works 2002 to 2006
2023 "Heading North' ISBN 979-8-89184-849-8 A new book with new adventures Released November 2023
2023 The Art of Don Hill / Contemporary Works 2002 to 2006 ISBN 978-1-64713-946-9
2021 Changing Perspectives / ISBN 978-1-63848-509-42020
A Shifting Tide / ISBN 978-1-64786-877-22020
Tide Line / ISBN 978-1-64826-235-72019 Starts the Tide Line project with Dr John Dahlsen 2019
Don Hill Contemporary 2002 to 2006 / ISBN 978-1-64713-946-92019
The Rainmaker / ISBN 978-1-64713-493-8 2019
‘Accelerator” / ISBN 978-1-64606-420-52018 Starts work on the Accelerator book2017
Writes Don Hill “About Seascapes” 2017 first edition (unpublished)
2017 Writes “Amphora” Part 1 (unpublished)
2016 2017 Establishes “The Teak House Studio" in Chiang Mai Thailand.
2015 Discovers the field of Debris at Bruce Bay New Zealand
2008 / 2009 Travels Thailand collects material for new body of work
2008 Travels to India and Nepal. Formulates ideas, sketches and photography for “Siddhartha’s Land”
2008 “Vipassana” Goes solo mountain bicycle riding in Nepal, the Himalayas and Mustang
2007 2008 Writes "Kathmandu Taxi' during the Nepal Civil War and Deposition of the King
2007 Mountain Hill Station Stay in Darjeeling
2007 Travels to New Zealand for the first time and takes his favourite Repco mountain bike. Re assembles it at Christchurch Airport then rides South looking for the Southern Alps.
2006 Starts writing the book “Straight out of London” ISBN 0646462695 ISBN 9780646462691
2005 Represented Marie Mizon Gallery Paddington Sydney
2004 Starts work on the “Rainmaker” project
2003 Works on solo exhibitions through the regional gallery circuit
2000,2004 Represented Fox Galleries Brisbane
1997 Travels in Thailand
1991-92 Involved in Group exhibitions for the Endeavour Foundation
1990 Residence at Metro Arts Brisbane
1990 Commissions for James Penny Interiors Brisbane
1990 Represented Hang Ups Gallery Brisbane
1990 Group Showing Queensland Art Gallery Grey Street South Brisbane
1988/91 Becomes involved in several group exhibitions in Australia and Japan
1989 Certificate of Merit Logan Art Award
1976 RNA Highly Recommended for Still Life
1975 Returns to Australia via Bombay and Singapore.
1975 Stays the remainder of time in the UK with sculptor Stuart Williamson at 16 Belsize Crescent1
1975 Arrives back in London without enough money to catch the tube back to 16 Belsize Crescent
1975 Travels Yugoslavia1975 Hitch hikes throughout southern and central Europe.1974″Magic Bus” three days in hell to Greece
1974 Lives, works and paints in London in Belsize Village during IRA bombings
1974 Settles in 16 Belsize Crescent North London1974 Travels to and hitch hikes Wales, Scotland and Orkney Islands.
1974 Stays with Carl Groszmann (deceased) at Tittenhurst Park Studios while he writes and records “A Dose of Rock and Roll”,
1973 Purchases Bicycle and rides it from London to Lands End in Cornwall in Ugg boots.
1973 Arrives in London.
1973 Sees Frank De Silva and Arch Graton alive for the very last time
1973 Field Trips to Boonah and the Scenic Rim with Frank De Silva
1973 Encouraged and inspired by Arthur Evan Reid to travel to Europe and England to undertake further studies inmodern and traditional art
1972 Has day classes with Merven Moriarty at “Garowie” 59 White Hill Road Residence and Adelaide Street Brisbane.
1972 First Prize: Ipswich Open Art Prize for Portraiture (portrait of Shane)
1972 First Prize: Ipswich Open Art Prize for Still Life
1972 Water Colour Technique and characteristics with Charles Ludlow
About Tide Line
This book is a collaboration between the contemporary Australian artists John Dahlsen and Don Hill. The two artists share a synergy with their recent artworks forming a balanced activist and aesthetic statement.
John’s art seen in this book focuses on small found micro-plastic objects that wash up on the beaches of Australia and the Detritus that is now accumulating in the Pacific Gyre. ‘The Garbage Patch’.
Don creates images of the micro landscapes that present themselves in nature globally in the form of the photographs seen in this book.
Both artists here express an edge along which they exist, of beauty with their respective creations with their individual aesthetics, alongside a deep sense of activism with their environmentally incisive statements embedded in the works.
John Dahlsen and Don Hill 2020
Don Hill is a passive environmental activist and has been involved in the Australian Art Industry for many years.
He is an Art and Creative Director living in South East Queensland and also Thailand.
Collaborations and Meetings 2024Meeting with Sally Leydon
Meeting with Professor Boonchuay and Chichinok TupThai Chiang Mai Thailand 31st of December 2023