By ALESHA CAPONE
THE western suburbs continue to inspire Paul Borg in creating acclaimed works of art.
A painting by the St Albans artist has been selected for the finals of the Rick Amor Drawing Prize 2014 at The Art Gallery of Ballarat.
Titled ‘Super Jesus in the plaza carpark’, Mr Borg said the piece was based on a scene he glimpsed at the Brimbank Shopping Centre.
“I was going back to the car park when I saw a man pushing a trolley with a statue of Jesus in it,” he said.
The surreal image stayed in Mr Borg’s mind for some days and he went on to create the artwork from his memory.
Mr Borg said he has been delighted to make the finals of the Rick Amor competition, which was won by his student Gina Kalabishis.
However, the Ballarat gallery has asked to purchase Mr Borg’s painting for its collection.
Out of the many images Mr Borg has created during his artistic career, among his favourites is a painting of the landscape as viewed from the freeway travelling to Bacchus Marsh.
“Watching the western suburbs change and evolve is important to me,” Mr Borg said.
“I grew up here and I remember when it was all paddocks.”
Mr Borg said he enjoyed painting in the styles of landscape, portraits and still-life.
“What I really like is how people react to it and how they get something out of it,” he said of his artwork.
After teaching for 28 years, Mr Borg said he hoped to set up his own art school in the future.
Creativity seems to run in the family – Mr Borg’s teenage daughter is following in her father’s footsteps.
“She’s very artistic and she wants to be an art teacher,” the proud father said.
See www.paulborg.com.au for more information.
