Terry Batt:
Wunderlust
Oil and wax on canvas
107 x 92cm, 2005
US$5,800 

“Wunderlust is derived from an eclectic mixture of images including enamel cigarette posters from around the 1920s to the toy soldier who is from the "King's African Rifles" around 1925.”

Terry Batt:
Service at Moderate Rates
oil and wax on canvas
112 x 112cm, 2005
US$6,200

“Service at Moderate Rates is based on a poster I discovered in a tourist guide pamphlet. I remembered that my parents and I had visited Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo on our way to Australia in 1952. I learned when I was in Cairo last year that the hotel was devastated by fire sometime during 1952 and apparently it was completely destroyed. “

Terry Batt:
Glory Days
Oil and wax on canvas
61 x 41cm, 2004/5
US$2,800

“Glory Days is a self portrait as a child in football jumper and boy cub shorts. The painting was taken from a photograph which I have embellished with references to passing interests such as boy cubs and scouts and ongoing interests such as football. As you know, I follow Richmond, the Australian Rules Football team, and have done so for much of my life. As a young child the interest was of a passing nature but as a teenager I was formally invited to train with Richmond with a view to playing for their junior team. This was in 1964 when I was 15. I trained with them for about 8 months before the responsibilities of study and a severe bout of illness brought it to an end. I have retained all of the letters sent to me by the club during that time and I have remained a passionate supporter. They were in fact very good to me and treated me well.”

Terry Batt:
Lure of the Land O’Lakes
Oil and wax on canvas
41 x 61.5cm, 2005
US$2,800

“I have for many years been interested in the history of ice-fishing in America. The Indians and the early settlers in the north Mid-West used fish lures to fish with during winter. They dug holes through the ice which covered the lakes during winter in which they suspended the lures in order to attract fish which they then speared. I have watched people do this during winter in and around Milwaukee in Wisconsin which is often described as ‘The Land O'Lakes’. Not only is this widely practised but the fish lures are highly prized and those with some history are incredibly expensive to purchase. As you know my youngest son, Lincoln lives in Milwaukee and I have visited him there many times. Hence the geographical reference.”

Terry Batt:
Tarbrush Tommies/Tarbrush Tommies
Oil and wax on canvas
61.5 x 51cm, 2005
US$3,100

“The two figures are in front of the pyramids at Giza. Tarbrush Tommies/Tarbrush Tommies is inspired by Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet which I re-read, in sequence this time, while I was travelling in Egypt last year. The figure is a kind of double portrait of the writer.”

Terry Batt:
Portrait of a Zane Grey Novel
Oil and wax on canvas
152.5 x 152.5cm, 2005
US$7,800

“Portrait of a Zane Grey Novel refers to childhood fantasies and reading cowboy novels as well as spending countless hours at the Saturday matinees and drive-in theatres in many different country towns around Victoria, Australia. My father was a country traveller with Nestle.”

Terry Batt:
Dangerous Manoeuvres
Oil and wax on linen
61 x 46cm, 2002
US$2,800

“Dangerous Manoeuvres was constructed from an image that I adapted from an old cigarette card I purchased in an antique shop in Macau a few years back. Apparently in the 1930's a particular brand of Chinese cigarettes included cards about road rules inside the cigarette packet. These cards were illustrated on the front and the message was written on the back. I have simplified the image somewhat but I also liked the idea of a kind of double meaning relating to dangerous driving habits and dangerous social habits such as smoking. There was no such thing as ‘Smoking is Dangerous to Your Health' on cigarette packets during the 1930s.”

Terry Batt:
Next Year¹s Model
Oil on linen, 42 x 61cm, 2002
US$2,600

“Upon reflection I realize that I have always been a collector of sorts from a very early age. As a child I was quite obsessive about collecting toys. I still collect toys. The obsession was to collect an entire series and my method of playing with them was simply to remove them from the box (I always kept the box that they came in) and line them up and admire them. I never crashed them or treated them roughly. Consequently they were always in pristine condition. The best set that I had was a set of 1940's and 1950's Corgi racing cars that a number of my indulgent aunts purchased for me on a 12 month visit to England when I was 6 years old.

The anticipation of adding a new model to a collection is overwhelmingly thrilling hence the title of the painting Next Year’s Model which is painted from an old toy car.”