Tom Carment Presbyterian self-portrait

Last winter, while suffering with the flu, Tom Carment spent two weeks painting four self-portraits, one of which won the 1999 Waverley Art Prize. Presbyterian self-portrait was his favourite. He gave the painting its title because, when he looked at it, it reminded him of his Scottish ancestors, several of whom were dour Presbyterian ministers. ‘But I think there’s a bit of a twinkle in the eye,’ says Carment.

All of Carment’s paintings are painted from life (self-portraits with a mirror), usually done in one sitting. Presbyterian self-portrait was done in two sessions. ‘I rubbed half of it out and redid it the next day,’ he says.

Born in 1954, Carment studied at the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney.