Craig Handley | EXITS | Catalogue 2018 by Piermarq Art Advisory

The Climb 8 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 66 x 76cm

CRAIG HANDLEY EXITS 20 June - 14 July 2018

CRAIG HANDLEY It’s hard to mistake a painting by Craig Handley. In the past few years he has created a distinctive and unsettling body of work. At a first glance they seem simple enough, with what seems like iconography of the ordinary; suburban houses, common birds like magpies, seagulls and mynahs, beach houses, the prosaic act of mowing the lawn – even the plane is nothing spiffy but an ordinary Cessna. Sometimes there seems a touch of satire to some of his works. But all is not what it seems. A closer look reveals a world that is odd, even disturbing. Consider the two paintings of a boy and, in the second, a man mowing a lawn. The boy’s lawn mower is like a miniature tank. It’s as if this turbo charged machine is going to direct him where it wants to go rather than the other way around. The man pushing his mower is moving towards a steep hillock that will be impossible to mow. Then there are the birds. They don’t come in flocks but are solitary as if lost. There is the blank sea, tantalisingly close, but no one is really interested in it. Everyone seems absorbed in their tasks, whether working or using their smart phones. No one is connecting with anyone else. The people photographing objects, are unaware of their silly postures, as if the phones have possessed them and have removed an awareness of the real world around them. The strange thing is that the only figure that seems animated by inner energy is the creepy inflatable stick figure of a man which features in his Wynne entry Funny hahas and bloody galahs. This exhibition has moved on from his exhibition The Trappings (2017). The colours are now muted as if an eerie silence has fallen on the universe of Exits. At times it seems ghostly, as if these are memories in the process of slowly being forgotten. Then there are the ubiquitous figures of the teenage boy who has metamorphosed into a middle-aged man that has the sharp tang of a psychological autobiography. All of this is driven by a subterranean stream of melancholia. To me the key painting in Exits is the one that most people would overlook – the ruined outdoor stone staircase. Where are the humans? Where is it leading? Beyond is a blank mist promising nothing. Time is erasing something that was built to last for eons. It’s obvious it would be a mistake to take what seems the ordinary in Craig Handley’s work at face value. Underneath is a complex, even ominous view of a world we take for granted. It is a significant achievement of a strongly individual talent. Words by Louis Nowra  Australian writer, playwright, screenwriter and librettist.

CRAIG HANDLEY Craig Handley (b. 1964) has been shortlisted as a finalist in notable art prizes over 80 times in the last decade. Handley was born and raised in the southern suburbs of Sydney and on leaving school went to do a sign-writing apprenticeship. It was here that the draftsman like perfection we now see in Craig’s painting was honed. Craig Handley went on to further sharpen his skill and learn the craft of defining a narrative with a successful career in animation, working for a number of the largest studios in the world. In 2004 Handley had his “John Register” moment, leaving animation to ply his skills purely to painting. Craig Handley works sparingly in oil to produce images of immense poise and delight. In his own words Handley sees his work simply as “a medley, a collage of all the things I come across while travelling about. They are rearrangements, a hodgepodge of places and objects and light.” In reality they are so much more. His collective visual snapshots allow his works to transcend genres and blur the lines between, realism and surrealism, narrative and observation. This is summed up best by the notable Australian Critic John McDonald when writing of Handley’s painting in the Salon Des Refuses; “Some of the Salon pictures are so strange they defy description, let alone classification. Nothing is more peculiar than Craig Handley’s cryptically titled selfportrait, Thank You Mr Fante. Does he mean John Fante, the American writer? It probably wouldn’t help with a reading of this picture, even if I knew. Handley has portrayed himself with the arms of a plastic action figure, standing alongside a pink suburban bungalow from which the face of Salvador Dali peeks out. A flock of cockatoos flies overhead while two midget black swans float on the aboveground pool. Rather than a self-portrait, one might call this a “conversation piece…”

Artist Craig Handley with his 2015 Kogarah Art Prize winning painting

Craig Handley The mynah distraction (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 56 x 66cm $3,300

Craig Handley Data driven behaviour change 1 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 36 x 51cm $2,800 SOLD

Craig Handley Data driven behaviour change 2 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 36 x 51cm $2,800 SOLD

Craig Handley The foundation 1 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 32 x 41cm $2,000

Craig Handley The foundation 2 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 36 x 41cm $2,400

Craig Handley The divisionist 1 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 20.5 x 25.5 cm $950 SOLD

Craig Handley The divisionist 2 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 20.5 x 25.5 cm $950 SOLD

Craig Handley The climb 1 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 112 x 122cm $9,500

Craig Handley The climb 2 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 36 x 51cm $2,800

Craig Handley The climb 3 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 36 x 51cm $2,800 SOLD

Craig Handley The climb 4 or the end of the movie (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 36 x 51cm $2,800

Craig Handley The climb 5 or the start of the movie (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 36 x 51cm $2,800

Craig Handley The climb 6 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 112 x 122cm $9,500

Craig Handley The climb 7 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 112 x 122cm $9,500

Craig Handley The climb 8 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 66 x 76cm $4,500 SOLD

Craig Handley The climb 9 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 66 x 76cm $4,500

Craig Handley The climb 10 (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 66 x 76cm $4,500

Craig Handley Outpost (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 112 x 122cm $9,500 SOLD

Craig Handley Funny haha and bloody galahs (2018) Oil on Belgian linen, 153 x 168cm $20,000 Finalist Wynne Prize 2018 - Art Gallery of NSW Currently hanging at the AGNSW for the duration of the exhibition

ARTIST CV

CRAIG HANDLEY 1964 Born Sydney, Australia 1980 Completed Sign-writing apprenticeship 1983 Began career in the animation industry 1993 Director/producer of numerous children’s television series 2004 Painting

SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2018 Exits, Piermarq, Sydney  2017 The Trappings, Piermarq, Sydney 2016 Anomalies, Anthea Polson Art, Queensland 2015 Roadside, Richard Martin Art, Sydney 2012 Miscellaneous, Richard Martin Art, Sydney 2010 Roadtrip, Richard Martin Art, Sydney 2008 Lucky, Richard Martin Art, Sydney  GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2017 North Head Project, Manly Regional Art Gallery  2013 MMXIII, Director’s Edition, Richard Martin Art, Sydney 2012 Summertide, Richard Martin Art, Sydney 2010 A Taste of What’s to Come, Gallows Gallery, Perth WA 2010 Winter, Richard Martin Art, Sydney 2004 Newport Artworks, Newport NSW

AWARDS & PRIZES 2018 Hadley's Art prize, Hobart (finalist) 2018 Wynne Prize, Sydney (finalist) 2018 Salon Des Refuses, Sydney (selected) 2018 Gallipoli Art Prize (Highly commended) 2018 Calleen Art Prize, Cowra (finalist) 2018 Glover Prize, Tasmania (finalist) 2017 KAAF Art Prize, Sydney (Winner) 2017 Eutick Memorial Still Life Award, Wollongong, NSW (finalist) 2017 NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting (finalist) 2017 Salon Des Refuses, Sydney (selected) 2017 Whyalla Art Prize (finalist) 2017 Gallipoli Art Prize (finalist) 2017 Calleen Art Prize, Cowra (finalist) 2016 Mosman Art Prize (finalist) 2016 Bruny Island Art Prize, Tasmania, (finalist) 2016 WYNNE Prize, Sydney, (finalist) 2016 Lethbridge Art Prize, Queensland (finalist) 2016 Stanthorpe Art Festival 2016 Calleen Art Prize, Cowra (finalist) 2016 Glencore Percival Portrait Painting Prize 2016 Gallipoli Art Prize 2016 Noosa Art Prize, (finalist) 2016 39th Alice Prize, (finalist) 2015 KAAF Art Prize, Sydney, (finalist) 2015 Blacktown City Art Prize, (finalist) 2015 Gold Coast City Art Prize, (finalist) 2015 ANL Award, Victoria, (finalist) 2015 Moran Portrait Prize (semi-finalist) 2015 Paddington Art Prize, (finalist) 2015 Eutick Memorial Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour NSW (finalist) 2015 Mosman Art Prize (finalist) 2015 Salon Des Refuses, Sydney (selected) 2015 NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize, Sydney (semi-finalist) 2015 Kogarah Art Prize, Winner 2015 Caller Art Prize, Cowra (finalist) Highly Commended 2015 43rd Muswellbrook Art Prize 2014 Gold Coast City Art Prize 2014 Sulman Prize, AGNSW, (finalist)

2014 Salon Des Refuses, Sydney (selected) 2014 NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize, Sydney (finalist) 2014 Calleen Art Prize, Cowra (finalist) 2013 Eutick Memorial Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour NSW (finalist) 2013 Paddington Art Prize, (finalist) 2013 Fleurieu Art Prize, SA 2013 Mosman Art Prize (finalist) 2013 North Sydney Art Prize, Sydney 2013 NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize, Sydney (finalist) 2013 Calleen Art Prize, Cowra (finalist) 2013 Muswellbrook Art Prize (finalist) 2012 Eutick Memorial Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour NSW (finalist) 2012 Mortimore Prize (finalist) 2012 Mosman Art Prize (finalist) 2012 Lethbridge Art Prize, Queensland (finalist) 2012 Gallipoli Art Prize 2011 Whyalla Art Prize SA (finalist) 2011 Paddington Art Prize, (finalist) 2011 Eutick Memorial Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour NSW (finalist) 2011 Black Swan Prize for Portraiture, Perth (finalist) 2011 North Sydney Art Prize, Sydney 2011 Salon Des Refuses, Sydney (selected) 2011 Lethbridge Art Prize, Queensland (finalist) 2010 Paddington Art Prize, (finalist) 2010 Redland Art Awards, Qld (finalist) 2010 Eutick Memorial Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour NSW (finalist) 2010 Moran Portrait Prize (finalist) 2010 Mosman Art Prize (finalist) 2010 Stanthorpe Art Prize, Qld (finalist) 2009 Blake Prize (Director’s Cut) 2009 Eutick Memorial Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour NSW (finalist) 2009 Paddington Art Prize (finalist) 2008 Blake Prize (finalist) 2008 Mosman Art Prize (finalist) 2008 Salon Des Refusés, Sydney (selected) 2007 Paddington Art Prize (finalist) 2007 Salon Des Refusés, Sydney (selected) 2006 Paddington Art Prize (finalist) 2006 Mosman Art Prize (finalist)