Malcolm Drysdale
Malcolm Drysdale with his artwork titled 'Puy-L'evéque South of France' at the Victorian Artists Society
Malcolm Drysdale is an artist story teller. His paintings, books, cartoons and his 'Panodramas' are image stories.
Malcolm Drysdale, now in his early eighties, started drawing and painting early, both came easily to him.
As a teenager in Cranbourne Malcolm discovered the wonder of native orchids. He painted delicate watercolour botanicals of local flowers.
As a professional sociologist Malcolm's understanding of society, politics and the environment moved him to include more narrative artworks. Lately his paintings and cartoons show an emphasis on climate impacts.
'Panodramas' (panodrama is a panoramic drama like a set of 5 movie stills telling a story of the characters involved), a method he developed, was a highlight for Malcolm's story telling methods.
Selling his work has never been a high priority for Malcolm, though there have been successes and commissions. Today he is much more focussed on selling works to give profits to charity. Malcolm will donate all the proceeds to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to help save children in desperate situations around the world.
I have been an enthusiastic painter for more than forty years in a variety of mediums, mostly in oil and watercolour. In addition to my artistic practice, I have given classes in painting, art history and drawing, including life drawing.
As a lecturer in Social Sciences in my professional career, I conducted classes in a creativity stream at RMIT. I also create cartoons, illustrations and posters and have illustrated several books and book covers. I paint landscapes, portraits, cartoons, panodramas, nudes, abstracts, and works commenting on social issues.
My styles swing, but not too wildly. I have visited and learned a great deal from many of the great galleries around the world. I am a keen photographer as well. My other hobbies include Spanish, philosophy, travel, writing, gardening, photography, science fiction, walking (it used to be hiking) and ballroom dancing.
Art related publications
2021: The Art of Malcolm Drysdale
2000-2023: Photo books: In Interesting Pair, The Kimberley, The French Experience
1997: PhD Monograph, Environment, Culture and the Experience of Nature Among Australian Visual Artists
Educatation
1997 Doctor of Philosophy, RMIT
'Environment, Culture and the Experience of Nature Among Australian Visual Artists'
Works by Malcolm Drysdale
Acknowledgment of traditional owners.
We would like to pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land on which our building stands, their leaders, past, present and emerging.