David Frazer artist talk at the National Art School - 13 January

It was a full house at the National Art School today to hear David Frazer speak at lunchtime. I was looking forward to this session as I had seen David on one of the 'Artist at work' specials they have on the ABC. David has a diverse art practice: painting, woodblock prints and etchings, and even the odd sculpture. After seeing the documentary I would consider him a printmaker and it was interesting to hear him complain about occasionally being pigeonholed solely as a printmaker. If I was going to add a David Frazer to the Big Lamington collection (and I would like to), I would probably get a print. Sorry about that David.

His talk, like his art, was autobiographical and he explained how he came to develop his art practice. It was a very interesting talk but what I found most fascinating was his commentary about what sells. Burning houses, for instance, don't sell - contact him if you want a nice painting of one. Neither did a painting of a toilet block. The image shown above (Another night on earth) has sold out its wood block run and is now into a lithograph (edition of 40 going at $800 a throw at one of his gallerists so he is doing pretty well from that 30 x 40 cm image). It must be interesting as a working artist to think about how what you are creating might sell. He thought his latest show, which features country houses, was his best work but it didn't sell well.

We will keep an eye out on his Sydney gallery for when he next has a show up here. Failing that I think the printmaking course at the next NAS summer school looks like it would be good with David at the helm. Only one set of points given out today - 3 for David, best on ground.