The renowned art historian, Andrew Mackenzie, curated this exhibition which was held in May 2011 at The Victorian Aritists Society Galleries in East Melbourne. Andrew invited The Pastel Society of Victoria, Australia, to take part in the portrait section of the exhibition, to showcase the wonderful pastel medium.
The aim was to celebrate this milestone with depictions of Dame Nellie Melba's role as Australia's most famous opera diva of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
I chose a postcard issued around 1894/5 showing her dressed in the role of Ophelie in the Paris production of Hamlet, a role that earned her the highest accolades from the critics of the time. I adore this pose which was taken in her early 30s when she was at the start of her career.
I used Art Spectrum Suede paper and Rembrandt, Unison and Lucas soft pastels for this painting. My aim was to try and create the look of an old fashioned hand-coloured postcard with delicate, subtle tones.
