Gillian Dunlop Lucy Culliton

Gillian Dunlop is an ear, nose and throat and facial cosmetic surgeon who moonlights as an artist. She therefore knows the anatomy of the face extremely well. ‘I take bumps off noses and pin ears back, so my 9 to 5 (or 8 to 6) job is spent looking at faces,’ she says.

Dunlop, who has been exhibiting since 1999, is currently a part-time student at the National Art School in Sydney, where Lucy Culliton is her tutor. Culliton lives and works in Hartley in NSW. She is well-known for painting cockerels inspired by her own hen April. She was a finalist in last year’s Archibald Prize with her self-portrait with cock, won the Mosman Art Prize in 2000, and has twice been highly commended in the Portia Geach Memorial Award.
‘She’s an outrageous character,’ says Dunlop. ‘She’s quite perceptive and insightful and lots of fun. She’s very encouraging and takes you forward as an artist. She’s very big on animal liberation. If a cockroach runs across the floor, you’re not allowed to squash it, she carries it outside.’

Culliton sat once for Dunlop. Beyond that Dunlop was able to study her tutor’s face whilst at art school – though Culliton wouldn’t let her paint the portrait during her classes. ‘When it was finished and I showed it to her, she said, ‘My God, it makes me look like my father,’ says Dunlop.

Born in Newcastle in 1963, Dunlop now lives in Sydney. She has exhibited in numerous group shows. In 2003 she was represented in the Blake Prize. She was highly commended by the Drummoyne Art Society in 2002 and was commended by the Hunters Hill Art Show in 2001. She is represented in private collections in the USA, the UK and in all States of Australia.