One of Australia's most outstanding painters, McLean Edwards had his first solo show at 16 years of age when he was still at high school.
Since then he has had 30 solo exhibitions with his most recent, 'Marsupials', about to open in New York at Olsen Gruin Gallery. He is a five time Archibald Prize finalist and has been included in the Archibald as a sitter four times.

His compelling paintings invite us to enter another world where his characters' lives and motives are limited only by our imaginations.

In this podcast interview, Edwards talks about how that first solo show came about, why he was later kicked out of art school and why he doesn't usually take portrait commissions.

He also reveals interesting background details about his Archibald finalist portraits of Tim Storrier and Cate Blanchett.

To hear the podcast interview press 'play' above and see below for the paintings we talk about and a short video taken on the day of the interview.
Upcoming events

Solo exhibition, 'Marsupials', Olsen Gruin, New York, May 13 - June 11, 2017
Scott Livesey Galleries, Melbourne, November, 2017

Things and people we talk about on the show

McLean Edwards at Olsen Gallery
McLean Edwards at Olsen Gruin
McLean Edwards on Instagram
Canberra School of Art
David Williams
Dadaism
National Gallery of Australia
Sidney Nolan
Donald Friend
Norman Lindsay
Nigel Thomson
Archibald Prize
Tim Storrier
Cate Blanchett
Andrew Upton
Sam Leach
William Dobell
Dobell's winning Archibald portrait of Margaret Olley
Hughes Gallery
Nicholas Harding
Tim Olsen
'For the Love of God' by Damien Hirst (diamond skull)
Ken Done
McLean Edwards on the Talking with Painters YouTube channel (below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrV0KMyQK4s