Gus Leunig
As a young child Gus moved between Daylesford and Shepparton, before settling, at the age of five, in Euroa, Victoria.
His "My Life Is a Dog" series was a sell-out at Art Sydney 2009 and in 2010 Leunig had his first solo exhibition at Libby Edwards Galleries, Melbourne. The whimsical narratives of his playful canvases reflect on a carefree childhood, evoking a naive nirvana. The indigenous detail and the wonderfully resolved palette proclaim Leunig as a colourist initially and on closer observation, a thoughtful and wry observer of his world.
In 2004, 35-year-old Gus lived with artist-father Michael Leunig in the small aboriginal community, Lockhart River at the very northern tip of Cape York Peninsula. Working in the local arts centre alongside local Aboriginal artists his burgeoning love for the territory, 'it's people', and its isolation evoked an overwhelming desire to paint. During this experience, Gus was reminded of his childhood and the most basic of needs - fishing, hunting and laughing