Michelle Dawson "Malay Stray VIII"

Michelle has been a finalist in many major art prizes including the Jacaranda Drawing Prize, The Portia Geach Art Award, (Highly Commended), The Bendigo Drawing Prize, The Ravenswood Art Award, the KAAF Art Award, The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize and The Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize, (Highly Commended). Michelle has exhibited widely in Australia and overseas, including The Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Romania. She has also illustrated four children's books and was shortlisted for the CBCA Crichton Award for Best New Illustrator.

Almost invisible, the Malay strays live out their lives on the fringes of the Malaysian communities. This painting is part of an ongoing series inspired by residencies in South-East Asia. They are about conscious judgements and decisions based on an inner dialogue…watching carefully and not painting too carefully…trusting the brush and my hand/arm/experience to make the marks. And also somehow immortalising these invisible dogs, that live out strange lives on the edges of the community, waiting patiently for scraps, which do come…but never experiencing affection. Painted as an ode to their resilience, giving them centre stage, just this once.

Oil on canvas

26cm x 35cm