Last year I painted something to hang on the wall during the passing of the year. No mystical or spiritual meaning added whatsoever. I painted it just to look at.

What is so wonderful about a painting is it's nothing more than a piece of stretched canvas and it can invite you to such a wondrous world. It offers all or nothing or like it or not. Worse, you are not interested.

So the painting was a party piece?

Yes. No.

No, I started to travel into the lines and patches of colour and saw all the irritations. Where help is needed.

Getting rid of these little buggers starts you talking to the Image and a certain game of respect develops and 'Í am the Boss' here. I suppose I am.

If you just read on you will understand who is the Boss between Painter and the Painted. Me, the Boss, the Brushes, God the Holy Father or maybe a knife.

July-1945
Born in Sydney, Australia

1947-1958
Spends his youth in Indonesia and Iran

1960-1968
Studies at the Royal Academy in The Hague and works in Holland

1973-1974
Works in the Azores

1975-1981
Returns to Holland with frequent exhibitions there as well as in Australia

1981-1984
Lives and works in Portugal

1984-2005
Returns to live in Australia. Travels back and forth between Australia, Holland and Portugal.

2005-2007
More or less settled in Australia.

2008
Moves to Cairns in tropical north Queensland.

(Photo on right: 2007 Youth Week poster competition winner Kyra Perry with judge Paul Bakker and Armidale CDAT chairperson Peter Blanche).

• Stage design for "Vincent in Brixton", a play by Nicholas Wright, 22 August to 9 September 2007, Armidale Playhouse Inc., Armidale NSW
• Different strokes inspired by Van Gogh, Armidale Express, 15 August 2007 - 11:33AM