Known for Merino knowledge, now an artist

That he now devotes his spare time to painting landscapes - and more recently seascapes - has surprised many of his friends but his late maturing interest in art has been encouraged by wife Libby, and daughters Will, Emma and Prue.

Stu Hodgson is well known in the Merino industry from the time he was a jackaroo on Tom Culley's famed Wonga stud, Jerilderie and through his subsequent career as sheep classer and sheep industry specialist with Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

But it was the wider social restrictions bought on by Covid which decided him to pick up his brushes and record some of the many fascinating landscapes he has seen during his travels.

He did continue to hold the AWI-sponsored classing field days; but obviously, as with all of us, he did have time to spare free from social engagements.

"I was always keen on drawing from when I was at school and I have done drawings for our grandchildren and had done a few paintings for Libby and my daughters which are hung in their houses," Stu said.

"But I never really thought or even considered I had the talent to take it any further."

However he was moved to dabble after he had seen some of the paintings his family were buying.

"And I thought - I could have a crack at that, never thinking I would succeed," Stu said.

"When one of our daughters moved to a new property, with marvellous views at Eurongilly, I said I should paint that for you and she said okay."

That landscape was hung in the family room at Eurongilly and attracted a lot of attention from Will's friends which led to further interest and his first commission.

"It really has just grown through friends of the girls who also wanted paintings," Stu said.

"Libby has always been supportive and saying I should spent more time painting but I am my own greatest critic and didn't think it would really develop the way it has."

With the body of work steadily increasing, and the family house in Junee packed with framed canvasses, Stu was encouraged by Will, Emma and Prue to have an exhibition.

"They have also put my paintings online - they are behind all this promotion through social media," he said.

When reflecting upon his current direction with paintbrush and easel, Stu said he has only really had time during the past six months to slow down and think about catching the wonderful landscapes on canvas.

"I was too busy with my career, and I never gave it a thought," he said.

"I've always enjoyed it from when I did art at school and a couple of school mates became artists, but I really love it now - it's a hobby which has given me something to do."

Now that he has started, Stu explained he has a 'bank' of scenes he wants to put on canvas.

Many of those images have come during his career has a sheep classer for more than twenty years with clients in various Australian districts and also in New Zealand.

But he does admit the wider appreciation of his paintings has taken him utterly by surprise and it is a buzz he never expected.

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"I did a commission for former All Black Richard Loe who is a good friend, and when it was finished another commission would come in, they would sent a photo and it's now going along quite well," he said.

"I'm impressed by paintings and I borrow bits from them to use but I am just trying to catch the atmosphere of the landscape.

"The Australian landscape is so beautiful - you come over a hill and look down the valley before you and think - with that light and colour imagine being able to paint that.

"I see things and I see how things work - I like using pink in my landscapes."

And while some might question that pastel colour in the Australian landscape, the truth is if you take a close look when the sunlight hits a certain paddock, Stu said they almost are pink.

"I like trying to capture the Outback where I have spent a lot of time," he said.

"There is a rawness and often a harshness to the Outback I like to depict but then there are other times when my hardest critics say - it is just to harsh Dad, you'll have to soften it a bit.

"But I say, that is the bush I know."

Although they are his first love, Stu is not bound by landscapes and has recently completed a couple of beach scenes on commission.

"I quite like doing them as well, they are a different perspective, and they still part of the beauty of Australia," he said.

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