Kiama landscape artist Andrew McPhail didn’t exactly get off to a flying start in the art world. In fact, a disappointing mark in Year 12 art left him thinking he simply wasn’t very good at it. 

A few decades later - and thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic - McPhail now has an exhibition at the Southern Highlands Artisans Collective (SHAC) gallery, running from 27 March to 21 April.

Before the 2020 pandemic, McPhail had only ever staged one exhibition - in Vancouver in 1992 - and had spent most of his working life as a teacher.

McPhail's painting of Black Beach Rockpool. Source: Andrew McPhail

“When COVID hit, I was leading the primary school at Shellharbour Anglican College, and it was a really busy time,” McPhail said.

“I think a lot of people asked themselves during that time: what am I doing for myself?

"How am I looking after my own interests? So, I thought I'd pick up the brushes again.”

McPhail’s youngest son, James, had started surf photography at the age of 12, and his striking images became the inspiration for his return to painting.

“I thought, I love the ocean, I love waves, I love surfing and fishing - why not paint a couple of his photos? And I did, and it was a lot of fun.”

Art became a place of refuge and escape in the stressful months of the COVID pandemic.

Low tide Crooked River entrance, Gerroa. Source: Andrew McPhail

“You know that feeling when you're in your happy place and time just flows?

"There are a few things that do that for me - spending time with family, grabbing a coffee with my wife - but also picking up a brush, sketching, capturing a beautiful scene, and seeing it through to a finished work. I just love that,” he said.

Wanting to improve, McPhail reached out to Shellharbour Anglican College’s then-art teacher, Melinda Giblett, a talented landscape artist in her own right.

“She gave me some great advice - the first thing she said was 'get an Instagram account'. I thought, here we go,” McPhail laughs. 

“So I posted four or five pictures, and one Christmas holiday, a woman named Kerry Bruce from Fern Street Gallery contacted me and said, I want to talk to you.”

Thinking it was a mistake, McPhail nearly brushed it off.

“I was like, No, I think you’ve got the wrong person - I’m just a nobody. But she mentored me throughout that first year and being part of the team at Fern Street Gallery really helped my work improve.”

Since 2021, McPhail has been a resident artist at Fern Street Gallery, exhibiting regularly. He says sharing his love of the local landscape has brought a new level of meaning to his art.

“For me, there’s so much beauty in our local area - in Kiama - and I’m really grateful for it. I want to share that. The satisfaction comes from interpreting that beauty through my art.”

Country road, Sutton Forest. Source: Andrew McPhail

He often includes familiar elements in his work like beach tracks, headlands and surf breaks - details that resonate with locals and visitors alike.

“People see a painting and say, Oh, I want to walk there, or I have walked there.

"I want it to bring back that memory - sunlight glinting off the waves, sparkling on the sand - small specific details that bring you back to a place and time,” he says.

His SHAC exhibition, From Coast to Country, showcases a range of works, including small acrylics, watercolours, and large oil paintings.

Looking back on his artistic journey, McPhail credits others for helping him along the way.

“I just want to acknowledge all the people who’ve contributed - the mentors, the artists who gave advice, and those who offered kind but critical feedback to help me grow,” he says.

“I think one of the signs of a healthy community is its commitment to expressive art, whether it’s music, fine art, writing. Kiama has a really healthy art community, and I want to thank everyone involved.”

Andrew McPhail’s work is on display at the SHAC Gallery until 21 April.

Don’t miss the chance to see how far someone’s passion can take them.