‘Race’ artist on a high

By Kath Gannaway
HEALESVILLE artist John Duncan-Firth has saddled up for a commission which puts his art, and his face, on display every day to hundreds of people.
The artist’s painting of three riders racing across the high-plains of Victoria is also the high-profile facade of Saddle Up equestrian shop at the Chirnside Homemaker Centre.
Mr Duncan-Firth is the only artist to take part in the cattle musters on the Bogong High Plains with the mountain cattlemen of Victoria.
He has recorded the annual event in his paintings for 21 years and was a natural choice for the owners of Saddle Up when they were looking for an image which promoted the essence of their long-established business.
Mr Duncan-Firth was asked to design and paint a painting which would promote the company’s products and “The Race” was born.
“It featured three horsemen racing across the high country. All, including the horses, are wearing the gear you could purchase from a saddlery,” he said.
Some changes were made, including changing the face of the rider on the right to his own, from a self-portrait done when he was in his 40s.
“My daughter pointed out that I had painted one of the riders in another painting so I decided to use my own image done around the time I learnt to ride a horse to go up to the high plains with the mountain cattlemen.”
A bonus for the artist was that the original rider was a tad taller. “I always wanted long legs,” he joked.
The other change was a marketing, rather than artistic decision. The owner asked that the middle rider be changed to a woman as 98 per cent of Saddle Up’s customers are female.
The original painting hung inside the shop and a 3.5 metre by 5.5 metre reproduction is mounted, larger than life, on the front of the building.
In the three years since opening Waterfall Gallery on Maroondah Highway in Healesville Mr Duncan-Firth has added 34 art awards, including 16 monetary prizes, to his credit, making a total of 287 awards throughout his career.
On Sunday, 12 November, friend and actor, Gus Mercurio will open the 24th annual exhibition of works by the man dubbed “the High Country artist”.
Thirty paintings will be on show from 2pm, including droving scenes, Clydesdale horses, portraits, and local, Victorian and Australian landscapes and seascapes.
For a sneak preview of his work, his painting “Across the Watts River – Healesville” is on display at the Healesville Authorised Newagency. Mr Duncan-Firth donated the painting to the Healesville CFA to raffle. Tickets are $2.
Phone Barbara Firth, Waterfall Gallery director on 5962 5095 for further information on the exhibition.