Ep 105: Summer Series – Tony Costa

Talking with Painters

Tony Costa won the Archibald prize in 2019 with his stunning painting of contemporary artist Lindy Lee. I caught up with him a few weeks later in his studio in Sydney and our podcast conversation from that day is episode 70 of the podcast.

I also recorded video in Tony’s studio which I edited down to about 5 minutes, with lots of painting wisdom ending up on the cutting room floor. So in this episode I’m bringing you the full conversation.

Tony has been painting for over 50 years. Apart from winning the Archibald prize, in portraiture he is a regular finalist in the Doug Moran and Kilgour prizes as well as many others, but it’s in landscape that he is particularly prolific.

He has won the Paddington Art prize for landscape painting and repeatedly returns to the Royal National Park in Sydney’s south where he has found endless inspiration.

His first solo exhibition since winning the Archibald opens at Art Atrium in Sydney on 15 May 2021 and will consist of oils, watercolour and ink works based on areas within the Royal National Park.

To hear our 2019 conversation click ‘play’ beneath the above photo of Tony in his studio.

You can see the video in Tony’s studio below. I also filmed an interview with Tony in the Art Gallery of NSW not long after the Archibald announcement was made and you can see that video below also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wmdfFrmK70

Tony Costa talks with me in his studio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybBqm0uLilI

Tony Costa talks with me at the Art Gallery of NSW shortly after winning the Archibald Prize

One of two drawings Tony made in preparation for his winning portrait

The second drawing

The hospital bed which serves as the working surface

Head study of Lindy Lee

Tools used in painting

The one paint brush in the studio

Painting palette

‘Hacking River No 5 Royal National Park’