I think it is the perfect summer juxteposition.  Having my first swim of the season at Nobbys Beach in the centre of the city of Newcastle and within half an hour being in the Newcastle Art Gallery seeing the Brett Whiteley exhibition, Whiteley on Water.

Brett Whiteley, Wategoes Beach II, 1989, watercolour, gouache, collage on white wove paper. Brett Whiteley Studio.

Whiteley was a tremendously talented artist with very fluid painting and drawing skills. This show includes some powerful ink paintings of waves, vigorous sculptures from his early career and some quietly beautiful paintings.

I decided to draw one of his pair of Shark sculptures, ‘Shark (Male)’ of 1966, which stood in front of his ‘Unfinished Beach polytypch’, undated. Both works are owned by the Brett Whiteley Studio.

Drawing of Brett Whiteley’s Shark (male), 1966, in front of Unfinished beach poltypch, not dated. 15 december 2013.

I also scanned and then coloured a version of this drawing.

Coloured version of Shark (male) and Unfinished beach polytypch, 15 December 2013