MANet Gallery is making its mark – in more ways than one – at its new location in 37 Main Street Maldon with a series of summer workshops.

On Friday 6 February MANet hosted renowned portrait artist Daniel Butterworth for a demonstration over wine and cheese: it sounds awfully refined but in fact it was a lively and engaging chat …with bonus paint splatters.

Maldon Artist Network, which runs the gallery, has recently incorporated and has lots happening.

While introducing the evening, artist and long-term member Catherine Tait explained that the group was expanding its reach. “We decided to do workshops and bring up the arts from Melbourne and everywhere else,” she said. There’s also the upcoming Harcourt fundraising auction on Friday 13 March and the 2026 Maldon Landscape Prize, presented with Cascade Art Gallery, which is accepting entries now until Tuesday 30 June.

At the portrait demonstration, Daniel was happy to answer questions about process and influences while sloshing and dabbing. He explained that he works from top to bottom and “wet on wet” because he likes to move the paint around until he is happy with the result. “What I aim for is; I want it to look confident,” Daniel said. “I want it to look accurate, but I will forgo accuracy for confidence.”

The artist’s preferred medium is house paint on cardboard, a choice which matched his down-to-earth and approachable manner. “Cardboard is such a good surface, it’s a beautiful surface,” he explained, adding that house paint is made using modern technology and is created to last. Besides, both materials are easy to obtain. “I don’t want any restrictions,” Mr Butterworth said.

For the model, Mount Alexander Shire Councillor Rosalie Hastwell, it was a memorable experience. “He was so incredibly generous and humble,” Ms Hastwell said, praising the Maldon Artist Network for arranging the event. “MANet as a group is very open and inclusive and supportive of local artists. And the choice that they made to invite Dan was so perfect for the setting. It brought both local artists and artists from further afield together in an atmosphere of sharing.”

So is Rosalie happy with the result? “I think it’s terrific,” she said. “As a subject you don’t get to steer it, you sort of offer yourself and then it’s up to the artist to do what they want to.

I really enjoyed the way Dan focused in on the shoes, they are a bit theatrical and they are favourites of mine. He made them a feature and it showed his cleverness.”

There will be the opportunity to view the final, framed painting at MANet Gallery in the future and the event was an inspiring success for all who attended.

Check out the MANet website for details of the Harcourt fundraiser and the Maldon Landscape Prize. And then perhaps check the recycling for some good cardboard to paint on www.maldonartistnetwork.org.au.

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 13 February 2026.