Portraits of Jamie Daddo and loo with a view artist Peter Kingston up for lucrative Doug Moran Prize

A PORTRAIT of artist Peter Kingston, who led the push to save the loo with the view at Lavender Bay, is in the running for the prestigious Doug Moran National Portrait Prize.

A PORTRAIT of artist Peter Kingston, who led the push to save the loo with the view at Lavender Bay, is in the running for the prestigious Doug Moran National Portrait Prize.

The portrait is by Mosman artist Ann Cape, one of three local artists among the semi-finalists announced this week for the $150,000 prize.

All three artists painted portraits of fellow artists.

Debbie Mackinnon of Crows Nest painted a portrait of wheelchair-bound artist Jamie Daddo, twin brother of television personality Andrew Daddo.

``He had a serious car accident many years ago but he has rebuilt his life and is a practising artist in Melbourne,’’ said Mackinnon.

Portrait of artist Jamie Daddo by Debbie Mackinnon

Prominent Mosman artist Kerrie Lester also scored a spot among the semi-finalists with a portrait of friend and artist Michael Johnson.

“Michael has got this fabulous grumpy old man face,’’ Lester said.

One of Lester’s trademarks is handstitching lines on her canvases.

“Michael has such stringy hair — so the hair on the canvas is stitched,’’ she said.

Portrait of Michael Johnson by Kerrie Lester

Cape has had two portraits selected for the Moran prize, that of Kingston and a portrait of artist Margaret Woodward.

Kingston recently led Lavender Bay residents in a protest to stop North Sydney Council demolishing a 100-year-old toilet block at the Lavender Bay jetty.

Council voted recently to refurbish the toilet block described as having ``the best view in Sydney’’.

The toilet block was in danger of being moved to a nearby garden which features a line-up of small sculptures created by Kingston, including the cartoon character Boofhead.

Boofhead is also visible in the background of the portrait.

“The portrait is called Memorable Characters and in the background is Boofhead and Martin Sharp, the artist who helped Peter restore Luna Park,’’ said Cape.

According to Cape, artists prefer to paint artists because they don’t expect to be flattered.

Portrait of artist Margaret Woodward by Ann Cape.

“I am much more comfortable painting other artists and it allows for greater freedom,’’ she said.

A similar portrait of Kingston (with his glasses on) painted by Cape was selected for the Salon des Refuses last year.

The Moran National Portrait Prize, established in 1988, is fast catching up to the Archibald Prize in prestige and this year was judged by Edmund Capon, former head of the Art Gallery of NSW.

“At first artists didn’t take the Moran prize seriously but now everyone takes it seriously,’’ says Lester.

The winner of the portrait prize, along with the winner of Moran Contemporary Photography Prize, will be announced on October 28.