Young star helps artist reflect on Archibald

A BELMONT artist’s impression of a young Newtown actor is an entrant in Australia’s prestigious Archibald prize.
The 36-by-48-inch oil-on-linen portrait of Edwina Royce is Renee Abbott’s second Archibald entry after painting Geelong radio personality Denis Walter for the 2005 competition.
Ms Abbott told the Independent Edwina, a seven-year-old star of TV’s House Husbands, enjoyed sitting for the portrait entitled Edwina’s Serene Reflections.
“She found the exercise quite fun and dressing up was a real treat.”
Edwina’s experience posing for photographs and television cameras helped her endure a three-hour sitting.
Ms Abbott then spent two to three weeks on the painting, with photographs aiding her work.
“I’m more accustomed to painting adults, so it was probably more difficult. I thought it would be quite a distinguishing difference to capture a child, especially compared with an older adult with a more developed face.”
Ms Abbott has painted portraits since she was a child but receiving two fine arts scholarships in the mid-1990s prompted her to pursue competitions.
She pioneered a medium called “super-realism”, highlighting every feature in dynamic colour and shade.
“I like to bring a picture to life. I believe capturing a live image such as an animal or a human being enables me to capture a frame of existence.”
Ms Abbott said she had held about six art exhibitions in Geelong and Ballarat and had worked in television and as a songwriter, recently releasing her fifth album.