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Inversion puts Peter in illustrious company

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Serena Kirby, Denmark Bulletin

One of Denmark artist Peter Usher’s paintings has been selected for Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series wine labels.

Peter joins the ranks of other leading Australian artists to appear on the labels that includes works by John Olsen, Arthur Boyd, Sir Sidney Nolan, Robert Juniper and Clifton Pugh.

Peter’s about 1m-long painting, titled Inversion [below], was purchased in 2022 by Leeuwin Estate owners Tricia and Denis Horgan who have an extensive art collection.

Peter said that as soon as Tricia Horgan saw the painting for sale in a Margaret River gallery she knew she also wanted to use it on a wine label.

Inversion by Peter Usher

“I didn’t know that at the time so it all came as a bit of a surprise when I got the call asking permission to feature it on the label,” Peter said.

“Most of my art heroes are on the Art Series labels, so without sounding too lofty about it, it’s fair to say it’s a great honour to be included among them,” Peter said.

“There’s thousands of painters and artists in Australia and to be one of only around 150 artists to be selected over the 40 years of Art Series labels is pretty, pretty cool.”

The painting’s theme related to Peter’s ongoing exploration of his home landscape, specifically Denmark.

The original artwork also features reflective gold leaf applied using the technique known as gilding.

“I first learnt the traditional art of gilding when I worked as a picture framer in Perth and I now use it sometimes to create elements in the painting that change depending on the angle of the light,” he said.

The gilding in Peter’s painting led the winery to create the first Art Series label to be embellished with gold foil.

A cropped segment of ‘Inversion’ features on the winery’s 2024 Sauvignon Blanc which Peter said is ‘as fruity and zesty as the artwork’. Peter’s painting has been placed at the entrance of the Leeuwin Estate Art Gallery in Margaret River.

Denmark Bulletin 23 January 2025

This article appeared in the Denmark Bulletin, 23 January 2024.

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