Artist Alan Upton

HISTORICAL PAINTINGS OF THE ILLAWARRA AND AUSTRALIA SIGNIFICANT LAND, SEASCAPES AND EVENTS FROM THE PAST

Alan is an established Australian artist, with paintings hanging in major galleries both in Australian and international, as well in the residence of well-known celebrities. He has been producing artwork for over twenty years winning awards and high recognition from his peers.

Alan spends some of his leisure time, trudging his way through bushland, sometimes rugged terrain, in search of the now scene from the past. After comparing the scenery from old historical photos, he complies sketches of the area and takes them back to his Bulli studio to start the painting.

His father, was a huge inspiration of Alan’s art, he was a local bushman and coal miner who knew the Illawarra mountain range and its surroundings like the back of his hand and often conveyed information to Alan of what the area looked like back in his time. One of Alan’s favoured paintings was that of the 1887 Bulli Mine Disaster which was sold to a local collector, Alan, himself is a fifth-generation coal miner, spending time at the Bulli Coal Mine.

Alan’s feel and understanding for the bush and escarpment is like no other, he captures the haze of the distant mountains and structure of the beautiful flora, both rugged but mysterious like no one else. Some of Alan’s paintings take months to complete as he aims to get close to what was there one hundred years ago or even what it looks like now, right down to the last rock.  

Alan spends long hours producing commissions for some of his high-profile clients, with their special requests he will often visit the scene to observe the changes of the landscape, he will often camp in the specific area to ensure he meets his client’s needs.

Alan is a true-blue Aussie and is often regarded as one of the regions characters with his humour and good aussie jokes around a camp fire or BBQ with friends. Alan will often sit and explain at schools and other organisations as the bush is very much a part of his life.