The Manly Ferry Freshwater 2

No - not the second boat by that name but the second painting I did in July of the same Ferry as in the last post. This image depicts the ferry pulling into Circular Quay in Sydney. For the uninitiated the ferries berth here between the city and arguably the country's most iconic man made structures; the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Like any Sydney-Sider I love this part of the world; only when you have lived somewhere else does it become so abundantly clear how amazing this location truly is. I'm particularly proud of this image - really love the play of light on the water and feel like I could throw a rock into the water there (or an empty beer stubbie as we used to in the bad old "unenlightened" days)... I also really like the light off the hull of the boat; have you ever noticed on ships and large boats the way the metal plates are attached to the frame leaves slight wavy forms in the hull..? Feel really pleased w/the subtle reflections of the light off the water capturing this.

It's a grey-day in Sydney; around 10:30 - 11:00 am and the sun over Kirribilli is beginning to break through the clouds and sparkle off the water; there's a River Cat to the left turning around about to head off to Parramatta and the skipper has cut the Ferry's engine as it coasts into the wharf; soon they will throw it into reverse. I'm not certain of the name of it - possibly Matilda Cruises - but a large private harbour cruiseboat can be seen behind it closer to the bridge - always felt like it looked like a huge ice-cream cake shaped like a wedge.

The Ferry itself is quite different in this image to the other painting; the prow is sharper, and the city name appears below the title of the boat. I can rember them adding that several years back.

I can almost smell the seawater and the hint of Diesel and hear the sounds of the city and the harbour; cars on the Cahill Expressway, a trains horn sounds underneath, heavy construction seems to be constant there. And of course the sight of the old Coat Hanger behind it...

Can't wait to see and experience it all again soon.

I'm looking at it as I write this now. makes me quite proud. Would like to hang it I think - unless someone makes an offer on it of course - The other Freshwater painting (last post) is Proudly handing in my wife's office - if she got that hook for it yet..!


The Freshwater at Circular Quay
Acrylic on Canvas 50 x 40 cm