Port Painters and Jazz at Combined Club.Port painters, Mary Ann Runciman and Jeff Whitehill have teamed up with an exciting young jazz group to present an evening of art, music, food and wine at the popular Combined Club on the waterfront in Port Douglas. Titled 'Two Port Painters', the exhibition explores aspects of 'Port', as the small town is affectionately known, with subject matter often revolving around the inlet, where they both live in boats moored there. Renewal and abundance of Nature have always been the central thoughts behind the reason for celebrating art and life at this time of the year. Painter, Mary Ann RuncimanMary Ann Runciman was born in Tanzania, so the tropics feel like home to her. Having lived in Australia since 1988 she runs a busy studio in Adelaide and another in Paris as well as her Port Douglas base, where she has been for the past two years.Art studies were in Adelaide and at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris as well as the many years when she ran an open studio where she shared life drawing models with other artists.
She can often be found quite early in the morning painting boats at the marina board-walk and along the banks of the inlet as well as from the balcony of various upstairs offices. Mary Ann is also an accomplished portrait painter, Port's people, especially the fishermen and "yachties" being her favourite subjects. Mary Ann will be holding a
portrait painting
workshop on October 4 so enroll quickly if you wish to learn from an expert. Painter and musician, Jeff WhitehillJeff Whitehill trained in Adelaide as a painter and ceramicist, music initially being secondary to these interests.He draws his inspiration from the sea, music and travel. Many of his current paintings are a result of recent travels through the Greek Isles. He uses watercolour, acrylic and oil paint, often with knives, to produce his, sometimes, semi abstract impressions of life under the ocean.
Jeff lives on his boat where his small paintings come to life; the larger ones are painted in his studio in the fishermen's wharf area, just a short stroll from his yacht. When the urge takes Jeff he heads out to the freedom of the ocean, sailing vast distances along the North Queensland coast. To top of port painters and jazz
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