Acrylic painting of outback windmill amidst sorghum field, Queensland Australia.

 In this painting, I contrasted the vibrant green pointed shapes of the growing sorghum crop with the silhouette of the windmill and its water tank on a pink and blue sky.  A  suggestion of a flock of crows has been added on the right top of the picture. I've made use of blue tones rather than using black, and my intention is to convey an agriculture landscape typical of  Australia, with a restless, colourful sky at twilight. 

Acrylic painting of Winton plains from escarpment viewpoint, North Queensland.

To travel out in North West Queensland is to be amazed at a panorama of desert, dust and incredible views from clifftop places.  When I went out to see the dinosaur footprints, we stopped at a lookout. 

This was the inspiration for my painting, which features a stockman, his horse and faithful dog, standing on the cliff, with a spectacular view to the horizon. Truly, Australia is the land of wide open spaces.  The artwork was completed on board, with a thin wash technique to portray the arid outback landscape.  

 In this outback painting, I used a limited palette of browns and muted greens plus black to convey the harsh desert terrain. The scene is derived from the countryside near Winton, North Queensland.  A lonely station hand rests in the shade on a hill overlooking a tree dotted plain.  His horse and dog sit nearby.  The painting is my attempt to capture the vast panoramic expanses that comprise inland Australia. They have a unique beauty of their own. 

Old building, Ravenswood Queensland painting by artist Alan J. Benge

Ravenswood in North Queensland is worth a visit to view the picturesque outback-style old buildings along its main street.  In this original composition, I used a limited palette of earthy colours, complemented by a pen and ink over-sketch with white highlights.  Use was made of splatter texture and the painting was created on an old sheet of plywood.  A simple wide white frame - with ribbed, corrugated iron-style lines - sets off the composition.
The texture could well signify an approaching dust storm, and it helps convey the magnificently harsh climate that all must learn to live with in the outback of Australia.

Mona Lisa - Aussie outback style painting by artist Alan J. Benge

The Winton Outback festival - held every two years - has grown increasingly popular each time it is held.  This is an early painting which I did for the festival back in 1989.  As you can see in the photo, this painting bears a superficial resemblance to another, more famous original which reposes in the the Louvre.
My own attempt is obviously not suitable for the Louvre, being more appropriate for the "Loo".  It was submitted as part of the Winton's Outback Dunny painting competition.  I recall that my original creation"Mona Loosa" was very popular with the locals at that time, and I often wonder what became of the painting after it was auctioned off in the main street.

Battling the bushfire - original painting by artist Alan J. Benge

The Australian bush can be peaceful and calm - yet it can also present a savage face to those who are caught in the devastating path of bushfires.  In this original acrylic painting, I wanted to show the bravery and courage of those who are forced to defend their homes and lifestyles in the face of adversity.
All hands are called upon to beat back the flames, including the woman in the foreground as wet sacks are used to contain the advancing scrub fire. Bushfires are a tragic reminder of how merciless and savage the Australian climate can be - but in my painting, I hoped to show that the true Aussie pioneering spirit of people working together can sometimes help save homes and lives.

Old Roma Hotel acrylic painting by Al Benge

Roma, Queensland has some fine old pubs in the old Queensland traditional colonial style.  They represent an individuality from times past which is disappearing in this modern age.  My acrylic painting was accomplished with small, on the spot sketches initially, then I did a larger acrylic version back in my studio, using thick layers of paint. There is a certain amount of artistic licence here - the main street of Roma is certainly not dirt these days - but this is my interpretation of the scene.  The two pedestrians having a conversation in the middle of the road is not all unusual, the further West that you go.