"Can you see what it is, yet, Queenie?"

[purpletigron]

The Guardian reports, and Peter Black AM comments that "the Queen has chosen Rolf Harris to paint her 80th birthday portrait. Putting aside all the jokes about wobble boards and didgeridoos I actually think this is a good choice. It has certainly outed all the snobs and the luvvies in the art world who spend huge amounts of time telling us what is good for us."

Apparently, Rolf's been persuaded to use oils, rather than marker pen or emulsion ;-)

Comments

[artela.livejournal.com]

Rolf Harris is actually a bloody good artist - he was an artist way before he was a celeb! :-)

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

Quite right! I've seen some of his serious art stuff - dead good.

[maureenkspeller.livejournal.com]

I was going to say the same thing. I remember growing up with The Rolf Harris Show, and thinking it hilarious that he used house paint and 'proper' paintbrushes for those big pictures (my father was a house painter and I eagerly awaited signs of his turning into Rolf Harris), but watching his shows in recent years I've been impressed with the way he explains technique, and the paintings he produces.

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

It's so true. He's mightily talented. It is interesting just how many art critics have had common-sense bypasses and simply knee-jerked. Heaven forbid that someone who has been successful in popularising art and inspired generations of children should be accepted as a decent artist in his own right.

[sammywol.livejournal.com]

The newspaper review person on Breakfast BBC today suggested that the Queen didn't want to have to sit still for very long. I'd say that will work out for her. It will be interesting to se the result. Will it be Sir Rolf any time soon do you think? - should be, after all the charity work he has done over the years, though his anti-hunting stance in the days before such was fashionable, might count against him.

He will sing at her though. He might not mean to but he can't help himself.