NEWS: Cricket book collaborators team up again

16th August 2009

The co-author and illustrator of I want to be a Cricketer renewed their partnership recently for a fine art portrait.

International hockey player Sally Carbon, who co-authored I want to be a Cricketer with Justin Langer, sat for illustrator and artist Stewart Gollan.

Gollan said he chose to paint a portrait of Sally because she is the face of what it is to be a great athlete.

“She’s a fantastic role model and an important part of the Australian community.

“I wanted to capture Sally’s gritty determination, her incredible inner drive and her never-give-up attitude,” said Gollan.

The front-on pose was chosen after several different attempts, and Stewart asked Sally to come in looking sporty, even sweaty.

“I had come straight from the gym for the first sitting – you can see that in my hair,” said Carbon who was surprised to find that Gollan warmed up just like an athlete would before a game.

“He did five or six quick sketches before he started, and explained that he needed to warm up – a philosophy I knew too well from sport,” said Carbon.

Carbon said she was very happy with the result and particularly liked Gollan’s depiction of her hands.

“He has absolutely nailed my personality – it’s not pretty, not glamorous, but it feels like I am really looking hard straight back at myself … it’s very poignant and emotive,” said Carbon.

As a practising illustrator who is also a keen sportsman, Stewart’s interests intersected when he illustrated I want to be a Cricketer. Stewart is currently painting a series of works similar in technique to this portrait and plans to exhibit them within the next seven to eight months.

For more information please contact Claire Miller, cmiller@fremantlepress.com.au