Kyneton resident Lachlan Drake has won the best in show award at the Bendigo art exhibition, for his painting inspired by the second fleet arrival.
The painting, which took Mr Drake four months to create, captures someone who just arrived in Australia following the long journey from Europe.
“I was inspired by a book I was reading that’s about the settlement of Australia,” he said.
“There’s a few chapters about the second fleet, [which] was run by private merchant ships, [taking about] 270 day journey to get from Europe to Australia.”
To create the painting, Mr Drake said he woke up at 5am each morning to squeeze in 30 minutes to one hour of painting before his kids would get up.
“I would sit there with a coffee and it’s a nice way to start the day. You have to make the time … and it’s nice to have 45 minutes in the quiet to gather my thoughts.
“I was artistic as a child and as an adult I was always involved in something artistic. Four years ago when my daughter was born I got into drawing and then that moved to painting.”
Mr Drake said he was quite shocked to learn he had won the best in show award, and that feeling has continued to linger.
“They called me the day before [the exhibition ]… I was quite shocked especially after going to the art show and seeing the level of art from everyone else.”
Looking towards his next work, Mr Drake said he will be entering something in the daffodil festival, which will incorporate the flower.
“Most years since I’ve moved to Kyneton I’ve entered something … [so this year] I’m planning on doing something big for that one.”
Zoe Moffatt
