Portrait of the artist

An Emerald artist is reaching new heights with his painting after 30 years of juggling work and family commitments with his passion for art.
Ken Hunt was surprised and excited when he was named among 36 finalists in the Doug Moran Portrait Prize in March.
Although Mr Hunt did not win he fulfilled a 10year dream to become a finalist.
He also entered the prestigious Archibald Prize last year, which was also part of his 10year plan.
“I set myself a goal to have entered the Archibald competition and become a finalist in the Doug Moran Prize,” he said.
It has taken Mr Hunt six years to become a finalist in the Moran Prize, which is held every two years.
“My next goal is to win one of these competitions,” he said.
The portrait of local police officer and former Shire of Yarra Ranges councillor Alan Fincher which Mr Hunt entered in both the Archibald and Moran prizes has also created a stir around Monbulk.
Mr Hunt said he chose Mr Fincher for the painting as the competition guidelines for the Archibald Prize dictated that portraits must be someone who is well known or has been in politics.
He said Mr Fincher was a fantastic subject who was chosen because Mr Hunt knew him personally.
“I have approached many celebrities over the years but most have seemed uninterested or haven’t replied. I guess as a selftaught, unknown artist, I don’t appeal to them,” he said.
Mr Hunt said Mr Fincher was a little surprised when asked to sit for him, but after his initial shock he graciously accepted.
He said the painting was created over the next eight months after Mr Hunt took a series of photographs and had several brief meetings with Mr Fincher.
Mr Hunt said painting Mr Fincher’s portrait was like working with two distinctly different people one a police officer and the other an ordinary man.
“With a change of clothes it was almost like seeing a change of personality, it was like seeing two distinctly different people.
“The end result I thought was terrific and Alan seem impressed,” he said.
Mr Hunt finished painting Mr Fincher in November 2004 in time to enter the work in last year’s Archibald Prize.
On completion the painting was then displayed for 12months in Mr Hunt’s shop window at Monbulk Jewellers.
Mr Hunt said there was a lot of response to the painting from the local community.
“Some people loved it and some hated it but it was good to get feedback from people, and most were happy that the painting was done,” he said.
A love of art began for Mr Hunt at an early age when his father started taking painting lessons.
His father was initially taught by a friend, then studied under Justin Jorgenson and had lessons privately with the Olinda artist Ambrose Griffin.
“I was fascinated by what Dad was doing and loved the realism that he created with his paints, but his style changed with the influence of each of his teachers until it was almost unrecognisable,” he said.
Mr Hunt said he took influences from all his father’s art teachers and developed his own style of painting.
“Initially watching my father paint sparked a life long interest in painting and although I am technically taught I have been influenced by many artists.
“But by far my biggest influence came from the great artists of the past such as Leonardo DaVinci and Rembrandt,” Mr Hunt said.
Mr Hunt has financed his passion to be an artist by working at many and varied jobs but 11 years ago he decided to change direction and combined his passion for gemstones and art by buying Monbulk Jewellery.
He now takes one day a week off from the jewellery shop to concentrate on his art.
He said he would love to be a fulltime artist but he still has to support his family.
Mr Hunt is now working on a portrait of Collingwood footballer Nathan Buckley taken from collected newspaper photographs.
He has requested a sitting with Mr Buckley but has not had a reply.
Mr Hunt hopes to use this painting as an entry for next year’s Archibald Prize.
“Hopefully, the recognition I am receiving from being chosen as a finalist in one of the world’s greatest portrait painting competitions (Doug Moran Prize) will help,” he said.
Mr Hunt’s paintings can be viewed online at www.masterstouch.com.au or at Monbulk Jewellery at 102 Main Street, Monbulk.