Colin Passmore’s Peregian Studio
A local for over four decades, Colin Passmore’s presence in the bustling seaside town of Peregian Beach is as prominent as his artwork adorning the iconic Peregian Water Tower, as Jodie Cameron discovers.
When I arrive at Colin Passmore’s studio on David Low Way, Peregian Beach I welcome the calm and ethereal vibe that is in contrast to the heavy traffic outside.
Colin has been practicing art on the Sunshine Coast since 1982, and moved to the seaside community four years ago.
Rather than rue the hustle and bustle outside that could distract him from his craft, Colin says he chose the location because of the opportunity that comes from the large volume of cars that pass by daily. Settling here was a natural choice, not only for the pure convenience but for the laid-back village vibe.
For him, it is a place to fill his cup with sunshine and surf and his residence doubles as a studio and gallery/exhibition space where he paints in solitude for up to 10 hours a day.
“I enjoy the pace of Peregian. I can walk to the beach, listen to music, eat at my favourite restaurants – it’s where I want to be at this point in my life,” he says. “I’m a beach person at heart, so going for a swim first thing in the morning – you simply can’t beat that.”
As I stroll through the captivating canvases that grace the gallery, I am lost in the abundance of wildlife, mostly birds, embedded in many of his works.
“We are so fortunate in Australia to be surrounded by an abundance of birds and wildlife, so it has always been a major source of inspiration for me,” he says.
Perhaps then it’s no surprise that he settled in Peregian, where many of the streets – Curlew Way, Lorikeet Street, – are named after our feathered friends!
I’m struck by the compelling beauty of Colin’s work and how vivid his pieces are; blending acrylic paint on large canvases, his brush strokes are strikingly expressive with rich detailing reminiscent of the Impressionist era.
“I used to place real feathers onto the canvas, and I still use the same method with images of birds so I can capture their attitude and posture – they become almost lifelike,” he explains.
“The interweaving reeds and beautiful botanicals are a direct nod to my roots etched in the West and I still very much paint that landscape from memory.”
As well as being inspired by coastal landscapes and growing up in West Australia, Colin has also felt the creative pull of the outback, spending time in Port Hedland in the Pilbara and crossing the Nullarbor Plain in southern Australia.
“I don’t take photos, I tend to just absorb what I see, and when you’re exposed to something a lot, like crossing the barren deserts of the Nullarbor – you retain those visuals,” he says.
A lone ranger when it comes to his art, Colin’s working space needs to have an element of serenity.
“I can often work at a piece for days, even weeks, without interacting with a single soul – there’s a certain solace in working alone that I don’t find anywhere else.” he says. “To produce my best work, I need to be focused, full of energy and happy in serene surroundings.”
Accustomed to painting large-scale pieces, in 2015, Colin’s work was chosen by the community to transform Peregian’s 13-metre-high water tower into an impressionist masterpiece – ultimately, giving locals a ‘Passmore’ in their backyard.
“The vision was to blend the water tower into the surrounding vegetation, making it appear at one with the hill it sits upon,” he says.
His artistic process remains the same for each piece, but when the odd painters block presents itself, he embraces it as an opportunity to spread his wings.
“I always want to do better, do something different, and sometimes a block can turn out to be a great thing,” he says.
“After working through the issues, the piece can often turn into something quite special and an interesting new direction.”
In full creative flow, this stalwart of the art world is more productive than he’s ever been and doesn’t have plans to slow down any time soon.
“I will never retire,” he laughs. “I was more retired when I was 30 – always surfing and going out – but now, at 73, I’m working more than ever.”
After leaving Colin’s studio, his artwork lingered so much in my mind that I felt compelled to stop and sit in nature to view firsthand the intricacies of our coastal surroundings that Colin so effortlessly depicts in each of his pieces, one stroke at a time.
So if, like me, you’ve spied Colin’s ‘Gallery Open’ sign – pull over and pop in for an experience you won’t forget.
