01 September 2023
St Peter’s College Visual Arts teacher, Tim O’Shea has been announced a Finalist in the Kennedy Prize – an annual National Art prize, attracting entries from all around Australia. 50 finalists were selected from hundreds of entries submitted. Tim painted singer and radio presenter, Mr Dave Gleeson.
In the 2021 Battle of the Bands, Dave gave his time to perform Angels hit, ‘Marseille’ with the staff band on the Memorial Hall stage along with old scholar, John Brewster, founding member and guitarist of The Angels.
“Dave Gleeson is the founding member and singer of iconic Australian rock band, ‘The Screaming Jets’. For the past 12 years, Dave has also been the front man of legendary Australian band, ‘The Angels’. A devoted family man, he balances his music career with his radio presenter role on Triple M. He is an icon of the Aussie music industry. It was a pleasure to paint ‘Gleeso’. Our sittings took place in my Adelaide Hills studio. Charismatic and likeable, Dave exudes down-to-earth charm. He recounts good rock music stories balanced with conversations of day-to-day life. I aimed for his portrait to exude his ‘Rockstar’ on-stage persona”.
Tim has also had his other entry, ‘Adelaide Hills Vineyard’, an en plein air landscape oil on canvas painting selected for the Foundation’s Choice Exhibition, which accompanies the Kennedy Prize. Only six paintings were selected for this exhibition from nearly 350 entries.
The winner of the Kennedy Prize will be announced today Friday 1 September and will be awarded $25,000 at the official exhibition opening at the Royal South Australian Society of Arts Gallery on North Terrace. The exhibition is free and open to the public from 2-17 September.
Good luck Tim!