You can listen to the interview by the website link:

https://www.abc.net.au/…/new…/programs/drive/drive/11996682…

The interview is held at 1:46:45.

You can listen to the interview by the website link:

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/darwin/programs/afternoons/afternoons/12009214

The interview is held at 1:43:36

To former Maitland girl Megan Adams, it was much more than a concert ... an incredibly personal on-stage moment "that took my breath away".

It also inspired her latest Archibald Prize entry.

Adams, born and raised in Maitland, was living in Darwin when she went to see Aboriginal singer-songwriter Gawurra in concert.

"It was the most moving experience," she said.

"His music inspired me for starters, but he had been away from home working on his music career and hadn't seen members of his family for a long while. They turned up at the concert and called out to him from the audience and it obviously meant so much to him ... in between songs he would talk to them and it was bringing him to tears. It was so personal ... so incredibly moving."

Afterwards she went backstage and asked if he would be her next painting subject. 

For Adams, 32, the occasion inspired her to take her art in a new direction.

Her previous Archibald entries - of Adam Goodes and Wayne Bennett - have incorporated bold colours, but Gawurra is a far more moody work.

"I've painted him in blue, with his face flowing into clouds ... it's certainly different to anything I've done before

"I like the fact that there are layers to this painting. The blue represent sadness that he's away from home, the clouds suggesting that while he might be away, his mind is still on home and family. I've added a sunset over the ocean at Milingimbi Island where Gawurra was born as well."

Is she pleased with the finished product?

"I really am. With any portrait you're trying to capture the character, to do your subject justice. I found Gawurra such an interesting, layered person. He's so well spoken and has achieved so much from a small beginning."

These include Gawurra winning the Northern Territory Song of the Year in the Pop category, four NIMA Awards, national recognition throughout the music industry and an ARIA nomination.

The painting will sell on Megan's website - www.meganadamsfineart.com - for $10,000 at auction with 10 per cent of the proceeds going towards the GO Foundation, a national scholarship program supporting disadvantaged aboriginal children to attend school. 

HUNTER artist Megan Adams remembers the event as much more than a concert, but an insight into a musician's family life "that took my breath away".

It also inspired her latest Archibald Prize entry.

Adams, raised in Maitland and now residing in Lambton, was living in Darwin when she saw Aboriginal singer-songwriter Gawurra perform. 

"It was the most moving experience," Adams said. 

"His music inspired me for starters, but he had been away from home working on his music career and hadn't seen members of his family for a long while. 

"They turned up at the concert and called out to him from the audience and it obviously meant so much to him ... in between songs he would talk to them and it was bringing him to tears.

"It was so personal ... so incredibly moving."

Afterwards Adams, 32, went backstage and asked if he would be her next painting subject. 

She was inspired to take her art in a new direction. Her previous Archibald entries - of former AFL player Adam Goodes and NRL coach Wayne Bennett AM - have incorporated bold colours, but Gawurra is a far more moody work. 

"I've painted him in blue, with his face flowing into clouds ... it's certainly different to anything I've done before," she said. 

"I like the fact that there are layers to this painting. The blue represent sadness that he's away from home, the clouds suggesting that while he might be away, his mind is still on home and family. I've added a sunset over the ocean at Milingimbi Island where Gawurra was born as well."

She said she was proud of the final result. 

"With any portrait you're trying to capture the character, to do your subject justice. I found Gawurra such an interesting, layered person, that it meant I really wanted the painting to work out well. 

"He's so well spoken and has achieved so much from a small beginning." 

Gawurra has won the Northern Territory Song of the Year's pop category and four NIMA Awards plus received an ARIA nomination.

Adams said it had been a gamble to move in such a different direction. 

"But I'm no Ben Quilty," she said. "I'm still developing as an artist and to some extent I can do what I want. 

"For better known artists - like Ben Quilty, for example - they would be risking so much more if they suddenly went off in a new direction and risked alienating their fanbase." 

Adams will enter her work in the Archibald Prize on April 1. Finalists are announced on April 30 and the winner on May 8. 

She has listed it on her website for $10,000, with 10 per cent of the proceeds going towards GO Foundation, which provides scholarships to Indigenous students.

5 July 2017

The enduring spirit of the Archibald Prize. Each year the Archibald Prize is exhibited in July at the Art Gallery of NSW, showcasing portraits of Australia’s most distinguished actors, athletes, philanthropists and politicians, painted by artists from around the country. Australian Geographic spoke with this year’s curator, Anne Ryan about the spirit of the Archies and what this really means. 

The Archibald prize has been around since 1921 and since then, countless portraits of Australia’s most distinguished characters have been submitted, from former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, to Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, renowned Indigenous musician. However, Anne Ryan, this year’s curator of the prize, says that the most iconic moments in the Archibald’s storied past are parallel to key moments in Australian history, meaning the artists have no choice but to get with times. 

The evolution of the Archies

As per the original bequest of the Prize’s founder, J. F. Archibald, the prize continues to exhibit portraits of a man or woman distinguished in the fields of art, literature or politics. However, the age-old declaration has not been immune to a few minor tweaks. “The first woman to win the prize back in 1938 was Nora Heysen. This was an important moment after many years of portraits by men, of men,” Anne told Australian Geographic. Anne says that the exhibited works have diversified in terms of artists, style and subject matter. In 1943, controversy surrounded the Archies when a group of artists rebelled against the decision of the trustees to award William Dobell with the winning prize, believing his artwork to be more of a caricature than a portrait. Nowadays, this is commonplace. “If you look at the winning portrait from 2006, Marcus Wills’ piece was this extraordinary dark, small painting of a weird geologically formed skull. I would never have picked that one to win,” she says. “I thought it was just too left of field but the trustees went for it.” 

Beyond the portrait itself

Despite that, the Archibald Prize is a tribute to the genre of portrait art; Anne said that this form allows for unique methods of understanding the artists themselves. “The best portraits are the ones where the artist is absolutely true to their own visual language,” she said. Last year’s winner, a portrait of Barry Humphries by Louise Hearman is a perfect example of an artist radiating through their portrait work. “Hearman’s paintings usually have a specific light contrast with a dark background. If you think about her subjects, they’re the kind of surreal, dream-like subject matter that gives the impression they’re being painted at night,” Anne explained. “Barry Humphries has been painted before, winning and non-winning portraits, either as Edna or himself. Hearman had picked him out of character, as himself. All these tiny decisions that an artist’s makes really tells you something.” This trend has continued into this year’s entries with Northern Territory-based artist, Megan Adams choosing to paint Adam Goodes in technicolour, in order to make a statement about racism — an issue that young Indigenous people from her community continue to endure. 

A unique moment in time for the art world

The Archibald Prize takes entries from all across Australia, which are then exhibited from 29 July to 22 October. “During the exhibition, the building is just full of happy artists who get to show their work to a really big audience,” she says, adding “The Archibald is our most well attended exhibition of the year, every year. Often it’s the annual visit people will make to the gallery, even if they’re not regulars. Everyone shares their opinions on the works, which we love.” Anne says it’s the one time when all eyes are on the art world, where audiences and the media are simply captivated. Over her long career at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Anne has curated two Archibald Prize exhibitions — this year’s exhibition and one in 2015. Anne quietly says that her favourite part of the exhibition is in fact the familiar smell. “It smells like an art studio and it doesn’t often happen in our gallery because we don’t usually hang works that were wet just a week before.”

1 July 2017

AFL Great and Australian of the Year 2014 Adam Goodes has been immortilised in paint by artist Megan Adams. Megan was planning to approach Adam to sit for a portrait for the Archibald Prize when she bumped into him on the streets of Darwin the result a vibrant piece called Colour Doesn't Matter will be sold on Megan's website www.meganadamsfineart.com for $5,000 with the proceedes being donated to the GO Foundation which Adam co-founded to support indigenous youth through education.

22 May 2017

t was back in 2013 when AFL star Adam Goodes was the subject of a racial slur, as a 13-year-old girl called him an "ape" from the sidelines.

Since then the retired Sydney Swans player has campaigned widely against racism, and now local artist Megan Adams has thrown her support behind it by painting the sportsman for the Archibald Prize.

"The portrait of Adam Goodes is called Colour Doesn't Matter, showcasing the point that colour doesn't matter when it comes to people’s skin colour," Megan tells Be.

Australian artist Megan Adams has painted a portrait of Adam Goodes for the Archibald Prize, naming it Colour Doesn't Matter. 

"Everyone should be treated equally and with respect, regardless of their race," she continues, explaining the artwork will be sold on her website for $5,000, and 100% of the proceeds will go to the GO Foundation, founded by Goodes.

For Megan, a chance meeting with Adam in 2016 led to the Archibald creation she has produced today.

"When I bumped into Adam Goodes on the street I was thinking, 'This is Adam Goodes, the 2014 Australian of the year, anti-racism ambassador, champion AFL player…I would LOVE to paint him for the Archibald next year!'," Megan recounts of what went through her mind at the time.

"When I approached Adam I was very straight forward, starting with, 'Hi my name is Megan and I would like to paint you for the Archibald next year'," she continues.

It was back in 2013 when AFL star Adam Goodes was the subject of a racial slur, as a 13-year-old girl called him an "ape" from the sidelines.

"His response was, 'Have you painted before?'"

From there the pair got chatting, and after his manager was thrown into the conversation, official preparations kicked off.

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The GO foundation is certainly a cause very close to Megan's heart.

"My friend’s indigenous son received a racial slur last year and that's what motivated me to call the artwork Colour Doesn't Matter," she tells Be.

"The portrait of Adam Goodes is called Colour Doesn't Matter, showcasing the point that colour doesn't matter when it comes to people’s skin colour," Megan tells Be. 

"The gorgeous boy was very upset by the remark. It hurt me to see him like that, especially when he is the kindest child you will ever meet.

"I think it is important to raise awareness about racism as it's more common than most people think and these words that are being flung around have an impact on the people they are directed at and when has that ever been ok?" she adds.

Goodes founded the GO Foundation back in 2009 alongside Michael O’Loughlin and James Gallichan.

Since the it has strived to help Indigenous children across the nation, with their motto being, "Our burning desire is to create opportunities for indigenous youth through education".

Add News Story here

23 May 2017

It was back in 2013 when AFL star Adam Goodes was the subject of a racial slur, as a 13-year-old girl called him an "ape" from the sidelines.

Since then the retired Sydney Swans player has campaigned widely against racism, and now local artist Megan Adams has thrown her support behind it by painting the sportsman for the Archibald Prize.

"The portrait of Adam Goodes is called Colour Doesn't Matter, showcasing the point that colour doesn't matter when it comes to people’s skin colour," Megan tells Be.

"Everyone should be treated equally and with respect, regardless of their race," she continues, explaining the artwork will be sold on her website for $5,000, and 100% of the proceeds will go to the GO Foundation, founded by Goodes.

For Megan, a chance meeting with Adam in 2016 led to the Archibald creation she has produced today.

"When I bumped into Adam Goodes on the street I was thinking, 'This is Adam Goodes, the 2014 Australian of the year, anti-racism ambassador, champion AFL player…I would LOVE to paint him for the Archibald next year!'," Megan recounts of what went through her mind at the time.

"When I approached Adam I was very straight forward, starting with, 'Hi my name is Megan and I would like to paint you for the Archibald next year'," she continues.

"His response was, 'Have you painted before?'"

From there the pair got chatting, and after his manager was thrown into the conversation, official preparations kicked off.

The GO foundatian is certainly a cause very close to Megan's heart.

"My friend’s indigenous son received a racial slur last year and that's what motivated me to call the artwork Colour Doesn't Matter," she tells Be.

"The gorgeous boy was very upset by the remark. It hurt me to see him like that, especially when he is the kindest child you will ever meet.

"I think it is important to raise awareness about racism as it's more common than most people think and these words that are being flung around have an impact on the people they are directed at and when has that ever been ok?" she adds. 

20 May 2017

After enduring years of racist abuse which dogged the end of his illustrious AFL career, Adam Goodes is once again challenging racism, this time as the subject of a multicolour artwork painted for the nation's most prestigious portraiture award.

Colour Doesn't Matter was painted by Darwin artist Megan Adams as a response to the racial abuse of her friend's Indigenous son, a Year 6 student.

"He's just the kindest, happy-go-lucky kid so it was really hard to see him so upset," Ms Adams said.

She hopes her portrait of Goodes, to be entered in the Archibald Prize this year, will send a positive message to her friend's son and the wider community.

"Colour doesn't matter in people, in races," Ms Adams said.

PHOTO: Artist Megan Adams sketches Adam Goodes during a sitting in Sydney. (Supplied: Megan Adams)

Goodes hounded by racist taunts

Goodes was catapulted to the centre of an ugly racism row after he singled out a 13-year-old girl sitting in the crowd of Collingwood fans during a game against the Sydney Swans in the AFL's Indigenous Round in 2013.

She had called him an "ape", and although Mr Goodes said he had been "gutted" and hurt, he called for the community to support the girl rather than vilify her.

However, for the next two years he nevertheless became the target of sustained booing at matches and the butt of other racist jokes before retiring in 2015.

He was named Australian of the Year in 2014 for his work fighting racism, and launched the campaign "Racism: it stops with me".

Despite largely keeping out of the public eye, Goodes was again subjected to racist abuse after being named a brand ambassador for David Jones in 2015.

The AFL finally admitted in March 2016 that it had failed Goodes. 

"By the time Adam retired, he had been subject to a level of crowd booing and behaviour that none of our players should ever face," CEO Gillon McLachlan said.

"The debate that occurred about whether or not the booing was due to racism put further pressure on this great Indigenous leader and one of our game's greatest champions ... I am sorry we acted too slowly."

PHOTO: Adam Goodes was hounded by racist abuse during the last years of his football career. (AAP: Dean Lewins)

Artist chased Goodes through traffic to win him over

Ms Adams said Goodes agreed to be painted by her after she saw him on the streets of Darwin last year.

"I was walking down the street near Mitchell Street [in Darwin] and Adam Goodes was crossing the road, and I said to my friend, 'oh my god, that's Adam Goodes, I want to paint him for the Archibald next year!' And she said 'well, go!'" she said.

Ms Adams said she was "so grateful and excited" Goodes chose her to paint him, as he receives several requests to be painted for the Archibald Prize every year.

She flew to Sydney to sketch Goodes despite being on crutches due to a hurt foot, and said she was "really quite nervous".

"When he arrived he was just so relaxed and easy to talk to and really lovely," she said.

"We rolled the canvas out on the floor and I had my bandaged leg on the side and talked about weddings — we both just got married — and family."

Ms Adams will send her painting down to Sydney to be judged in the Archibald Prize, and hopes she will be in the running when finalists are announced on July 20.

She plans to sell the artwork and donate the proceeds to Adam Goodes's charity, the GO Foundation.

Add News Story here

19 May 2017

The young artist was thrilled when Adam Goodes approached her to paint his portrait

Artist Megan Adams’ most recent subject literally bumped into her on the street. When she saw AFL star Adam Goodes on the streets of Darwin in July 2016 she couldn’t believe her luck. Megan had been planning to approach him to ask if he would let her paint his portrait for the Archibald this year, with a view to donating 100% of the profits to the GO Foundation.

“I asked Adam if I could paint him and he really took the time to look through my website and my previous works. He was very impressed by my portrait of Wayne Bennett in particular. Each year Adam sits down with his agent, assesses the different artists that have requested to paint him that year and decides who will be granted permission – and I was the chosen one!” says Megan.

Megan’s portrait of Goodes is a multitude of colours and is entitled Colour Doesn’t Matter. “A close friend of mine has an indigenous son and he has been subject to racial slurs and bullying because of the colour of his skin. He is such a kind-hearted child and seeing him upset by that absolutely broke my heart. I’m so passionate about putting a stop to racism here in Australia and I wanted the portrait to reflect that. The colour of your skin does not matter,” says Megan.

Goodes is a passionate advocate against racism himself. He was infamously called an ‘ape’ by a football fan at a match in 2013. Over the years that followed, Goodes became the subject of booing from crowds, which many believe to have been motivated by racism. For his work with the GO Foundation and empowering indigenous Australians, Goodes was named Australian of the Year in 2014.

The Adam Goodes artwork will be sold on Megan’s website for $5,000 and 100% of the proceeds will go to the GO Foundation, founded by Goodes. The GO Foundation is a national scholarship program working with corporates, schools, universities and other organisations to create a brighter future for indigenous Australians.

The Archibald finalists are announced on the 20th of July, with the final prize winner announced on 28th of July.

For more information, including on how to purchase this portrait, please visit Megan’s website

19 May 2017

After enduring years of racist abuse which dogged the end of his illustrious AFL career, Adam Goodes is once again challenging racism, this time as the subject of a multicolour artwork painted for the nation's most prestigious portraiture award.

Colour Doesn't Matter was painted by Darwin artist Megan Adams as a response to the racial abuse of her friend's Indigenous son, a Year 6 student.

"He's just the kindest, happy-go-lucky kid so it was really hard to see him so upset," Ms Adams said.

"Adam Goodes is a fantastic AFL player but he's also a great speaker, speaking against racism; the troubles he went through also related to experiences my friend's son had."

She hopes her portrait of Goodes, to be entered in the Archibald Prize this year, will send a positive message to her friend's son and the wider community.

"Colour doesn't matter in people, in races," Ms Adams said.

"Everyone should be treated the same, with respect — and that's all that matters."

Goodes hounded by racist taunts

Goodes was catapulted to the centre of an ugly racism row after he singled out a 13-year-old girl sitting in the crowd of Collingwood fans during a game against the Sydney Swans in the AFL's Indigenous Round in 2013.

She had called him an "ape", and although Mr Goodes said he had been "gutted" and hurt, he called for the community to support the girl rather than vilify her.

However, for the next two years he nevertheless became the target of sustained booing at matches and the butt of other racist jokes before retiring in 2015. He was named Australian of the Year in 2014 for his work fighting racism, and launched the campaign "Racism: it stops with me". Despite largely keeping out of the public eye, Goodes was again subjected to racist abuse after being named a brand ambassador for David Jones in 2015.

The AFL finally admitted in March 2016 that it had failed Goodes. 

"By the time Adam retired, he had been subject to a level of crowd booing and behaviour that none of our players should ever face," CEO Gillon McLachlan said.

"The debate that occurred about whether or not the booing was due to racism put further pressure on this great Indigenous leader and one of our game's greatest champions ... I am sorry we acted too slowly."

PHOTO: Adam Goodes was hounded by racist abuse during the last years of his football career. (AAP: Dean Lewins)

Artist chased Goodes through traffic to win him over

Ms Adams said Goodes agreed to be painted by her after she saw him on the streets of Darwin last year.

"I was walking down the street near Mitchell Street [in Darwin] and Adam Goodes was crossing the road, and I said to my friend, 'oh my god, that's Adam Goodes, I want to paint him for the Archibald next year!' And she said 'well, go!'" she said.

"I ran across the street, dodging a few cars … and introduced myself."

Ms Adams said she was "so grateful and excited" Goodes chose her to paint him, as he receives several requests to be painted for the Archibald Prize every year.

She flew to Sydney to sketch Goodes despite being on crutches due to a hurt foot, and said she was "really quite nervous".

"When he arrived he was just so relaxed and easy to talk to and really lovely," she said.

"We rolled the canvas out on the floor and I had my bandaged leg on the side and talked about weddings — we both just got married — and family."

Ms Adams will send her painting down to Sydney to be judged in the Archibald Prize, and hopes she will be in the running when finalists are announced on July 20.

She plans to sell the artwork and donate the proceeds to Adam Goodes's charity, the GO Foundation.

PHOTO: Ms Adams says Mr Goodes has been a strong anti-racism role model. (ABC News: Andie Smith)

22 May 2017

IT’S the artwork sealed with a stroke of serendipity.

Former Newcastle woman Megan Adams has unveiled her entry for this year’s Archibald Prize, a portrait of  AFL legend Adam Goodes, who was subject to sustained racism in the final year of his career.

Adams’ multicoloured work is titled Colour Doesn’t Matter, with Adams deciding to paint the piece after witnessing racism in her personal life.

The young artist couldn’t believe her luck after bumping into Goodes in a Darwin street last year.

“I asked Adam if I could paint him and he really took the time to look through my website and my previous works,” she said.

Before she knew it she was sitting down with Goodes to paint his portrait in his Sydney home.

Adams said proceeds from the sale of the portrait would be donated to the GO Foundation.

“I’m so passionate about putting a stop to racism here in Australia … the colour of your skin does not matter,” she said.

The Archibald finalists will be announced on July 20.

News Story here

22 May 2017

Artist Megan Adams’ most recent subject literally bumped into her on the street. When she saw AFL star Adam Goodes on the streets of Darwin in July 2016 she couldn’t believe her luck. Megan had been planning to approach him to ask if he would let her paint his portrait for the Archibald this year, with a view to donating 100% of the profits to the GO Foundation.

“I asked Adam if I could paint him and he really took the time to look through my website and my previous works. He was very impressed by my portrait of Wayne Bennett in particular. Each year Adam sits down with his agent, assesses the different artists that have requested to paint him that year and decides who will be granted permission – and I was the chosen one!” says Megan.

Megan’s portrait of Goodes is a multitude of colours and is entitled Colour Doesn’t Matter. “A close friend of mine has an indigenous son and he has been subject to racial slurs and bullying because of the colour of his skin. He is such a kind-hearted child and seeing him upset by that absolutely broke my heart. I’m so passionate about putting a stop to racism here in Australia and I wanted the portrait to reflect that. The colour of your skin does not matter,” says Megan.

Goodes is a passionate advocate against racism himself. He was infamously called an ‘ape’ by a football fan at a match in 2013. Over the years that followed, Goodes became the subject of booing from crowds, which many believe to have been motivated by racism. For his work with the GO Foundation and empowering indigenous Australians, Goodes was named Australian of the Year in 2014.

Megan is the Enrolments and Marketing Officer at Kormilda College in Darwin. The majority of the boarding students are Indigenous Australians and Megan has worked closely with parents to complete the process of applying for scholarships. “Working in a school, I know how incredibly important education is and how an opportunity like those offered by the GO Foundation can truly change lives and whole generations,” says Megan.

The Adam Goodes artwork will be sold on Megan’s website for $5,000 and 100% of the proceeds will go to the GO Foundation, founded by Goodes. The GO Foundation is a national scholarship program working with corporates, schools, universities and other organisations to create a brighter future for indigenous Australians.

The Archibald finalists are announced on the 20th of July, with the final prize winner announced on 28th of July.

For more information, to view Megan’s other works and to purchase this portrait of Goodes please visit www.meganadamsfineart.com.

Add News Story here

22 May 2017

IT’S the artwork sealed with a stroke of serendipity.

Former Newcastle woman Megan Adams has unveiled her entry for this year’s Archibald Prize, a portrait of  AFL legend Adam Goodes, who was subject to sustained racism in the final year of his career.

Adams’ multicoloured work is titled Colour Doesn’t Matter, with Adams deciding to paint the piece after witnessing racism in her personal life.

The young artist couldn’t believe her luck after bumping into Goodes in a Darwin street last year.

“I asked Adam if I could paint him and he really took the time to look through my website and my previous works,” she said.

Before she knew it she was sitting down with Goodes to paint his portrait in his Sydney home.

Adams said proceeds from the sale of the portrait would be donated to the GO Foundation.

“I’m so passionate about putting a stop to racism here in Australia … the colour of your skin does not matter,” she said.

The Archibald finalists will be announced on July 20.

15 June 2017

Colour Doesn’t Matter speaks from the heart of many, including Artist Megan Adams, and AFL footy legend, Adam Goodes.

Artist Megan Adams couldn’t believe her luck when she bumped into her desired subject in the street last year in July, that person was AFL star Adam Goodes.

Megan indented to paint the AFL legend for this years Archibald prize, with a view to donate 100% of the profits to the GO Foundation.

GO Foundation was founded by Adam Goodes, Michael O’Loughlin and James Gallichan in 2009 to build a brighter future for Indigenous Australians.

With great intentions and of course a liking to her work, Goodes accepted the offer and had Megan paint his portrait.

Megan said “I asked Adam if I could paint him and he really took the time to look through my website and my previous works. He was very impressed by my portrait of Wayne Bennett in particular.”

The portrait is a multitude of colours and titled Colour Doesn’t Matter, implying race and colour.

Megan explains the concept is one that hits close to home, “A close friend of mine has an indigenous son and he has been subject to racial slurs and bullying because of the colour of his skin.”

With a heartbreaking story behind the concept, Adam Goodes was the perfect person for the job after being subject to racial abuse himself.

“I’m so passionate about putting a stop to racism here in Australia and I wanted the portrait to reflect that. The colour of your skin does not matter.”

The Adam Goodes artwork will be sold on Megan’s website for $5,000 and 100% of the proceeds will go to the GO Foundation.

If you are interested in purchasing the ‘Colour Doesn’t Matter’ artwork or to view any of Megan’s other work visit her site here.

20 June 2016

By Celeste Hawkins

Many artists throughout history and right up to the present day face insurmountable challenges. Work, family commitments and other external distractions can hinder our abilities to focus on what truly makes us thrive as our creative selves. To work toward your dream, no matter what- takes courage and hard graft despite external forces that would otherwise have you steered in another direction. Many aspects of this story will no doubt stir something within your own experience or remind you of a journey that you know or have read about. Sometimes the obstacles to pursue our passions are so great that we forget about them or suppress them for some time. And despite our current situations, once we rekindle that fire again, we will do whatever it takes to keep going!

NEWS: Megan Adams is beating the odds to enter this years Archibald, despite a myriad of obstacles in her way:

From a young age, most of us are encouraged to chase our dreams. However, this wasn’t the case for artist Megan Adams, who was discouraged time and time again and told that it was impossible to have a career in art. Determined to follow her passion, Megan overcame many roadblocks and has entered into The Archibald Prize this year. All proceeds from the sale of her signed acrylic canvas portrait of Wayne Bennett (Australian Professional Rugby League Football Coach) will be donated to Alex McKinnon’s foundation – RiseForAlex Fund. 

Following the 2014 rugby tackle that resulted in McKinnon becoming a quadriplegic, he is faced with over $100,000 a year in expenses to treat his injuries.

Megan’s painting will be sold on her website (www.meganadamsfineart.com) for $2,000.

The five challenges Megan Adams overcame to pursue her passion for art were:

Strong discouragement from everyone she knew

Throughout her life, Megan drew and painted constantly, excelling in Visual Arts at school. It was only at the end of high school that her teachers, principal and family told her that it would be impossible to make a career out of being an artist. As a result of the lack of encouragement, Megan did not pick up a paintbrush for six years. When her fiancé saw her artworks and suggested to her to start painting again, it took another two years before she bit the bullet and began night art classes. Within 10 months, Megan received her first commission request from Michael Bridges (previous Leeds United English Footballer, now Australian Sports Presenter) to paint his wife. This has since resulted in further commissions from CEOs and hotels, creating a burning desire in Megan to continue painting.

Fear of rejection

The fear of her work being a disaster was something that took a long time for Megan to overcome, even to the point that placing paint on the canvas was nerve-racking. She eventually decided that the worst that could happen would be throwing out the painting and trying something different. Now, the only way she can finish a painting without fear of rejection is knowing that she loves it. If she loves the painting, it gives her the confidence that someone else out there will enjoy the painting just as much as her, if not more.

Limitations of space

Megan currently uses the living room in her small apartment as her studio. With numerous art supplies, canvases, tarps and drop sheets all over the apartment, and large artworks occupying space of up to 2 x 3 metres, it has left little room for anything else. However, Megan utilises the space in the best way possible and shows that your environment shouldn’t be a barrier from following your dreams.

Cost of materials

Using high quality materials and the right equipment can make all the difference in a painting, but this also comes at quite an expensive cost. By truly dedicating everything to her dream, all of Megan’s money goes towards canvas, paints, mediums and more. Despite this, she believes that if you consider the achievements at the end, it will pay off.

Time constraints- juggling full time work and art

Working as a Personal Assistant in Darwin can sometimes mean that Megan works 10 hour days. However, the long hours do not hinder her from following her passion. After work, she paints until the early hours of the morning and resumes the process the next day. If Megan’s not painting, she’s updating her website, meeting people regarding commissions, varnishing, researching new techniques, organising couriers and more. Every spare moment of her time is dedicated to her art.
“When I worked in administration and event planning for the Newcastle Knights and Newcastle Jets, I met Wayne Bennett and developed a great relationship with him,” says Megan. “I feel honoured that Wayne allowed me to paint him. I know how close his bond with Alex is. I would love to sell this painting and hope that the proceeds can raise further awareness and support for Alex. From this experience, I can honestly say that anything is possible if you have the drive and determination – you just never know what might happen.”

21 June 2016

It’s State of Origin time, so Topics is happy to run a story based on that strange game with the odd-shaped ball.

And who better to focus on than the great Wayne Bennett.

We know his genius didn’t quite reach its potential when he was in charge of the Knights.

But hey, nobody’s perfect, right? We’re probably being a tad unfair. After all, he did inspire the Knights to a decent finals run in 2013.

Looking at the Knights this season, that’s looking like a monumental effort. 

 powered by plista

The Tinkler era may not have produced a huge amount of goodwill. 

We’re sure, though, that some good things came out of that period – like this portrait of Bennett.

Artist Megan Adams was working in administration and event planning for the Knights and Jets at the time.

Artist Megan Adams with her portrait of former Knights coach Wayne Bennett. 

“I met Wayne Bennett and developed a great relationship with him,” Megan said.

“I feel honoured that Wayne allowed me to paint him.”

She entered the portrait into this year’s Archibald Prize. All proceeds from the sale will be donated to Alex McKinnon’s foundation – the RiseForAlex Fund.

“I know how close his bond is with Alex,” Megan said, of Bennett.

Megan was passionate about art as a youngster, drawing and painting constantly. But at the end of high school, her teachers, principal and family told her it would be impossible to make a career out of being an artist. She didn’t pick up a paintbrush for six years.

When her fiance saw her artwork, he suggested she start painting again. Former Jets player Michael Bridges commissioned Megan to paint his wife. This led to further work and “a burning desire” to continue painting.

It took time to overcome her fear that her art would be a disaster. She’s also overcome space limitations to chase her dream. She uses the living room in her small apartment as a studio.

Her apartment is packed with art supplies, canvases, tarps, drop sheets and artworks. She works as a personal assistant in Darwin – sometimes working 10-hour days. This hasn’t stopped her pursuing art. After work, she paints until the early hours. Every spare moment is dedicated to art.

Megan’s painting is for sale on her website for $2000 – meganadamsfineart.com.

5 October 2018

Creative souls in the top end have the opportunity to light up the city streets with the Darwin Council’s City Life Platform light box project.

By Tamara Hoiwe

Expressions of interest are open for two of the 2019 exhibition slots, which will see 10 artworks illuminated in eight light boxes around Darwin and the northern suburbs. 

Currently, Charles Darwin University (CDU) students have work displayed around town to showcase local artists and encourage a dialogue in the community.

CDU artist Megan Adams says the students created site-specific work that looked at the locations through a historic and environmental lens.

“Artworks have been created using the light boxes as windows to the past and present, telling Darwin’s stories, from the Bougainvillea Festival to WWII reflections and environmental messages of plastic-free coastal communities to historic Chinatown,” she says. 

“We have tried to capture the spirit of Darwin by producing striking artworks that hopefully become a talking point among locals.”

CDU lecturer and well-known local artist Sarah Pirrie says it’s been a great challenge for students, and is a wonderful opportunity for artists and curators. 

“I truly think this is one of the great initiatives from City of Darwin and I wish there were many more light boxes,” she says.

“The students got such a nice buzz seeing their work on that scale, and it’s only when it gets darker you see the greatness of it.”

The City Life Platform program began this year to help illuminate the city across three sites with purpose-built light boxes displaying four-month outdoor exhibitions throughout the year.

The artworks are visible between 5pm and 9am in the Smith Street Mall, on the Chinatown car park building and at Nightcliff Pool.

With a rich cultural history in Darwin, applicants should think about making reference to the history of the site, the local stories and life of the people who frequent the area, the cultural and linguistic diversity of Darwin or the surrounding built environment. 

SUBMISSION FOR FEB-MAR & JUN-SEP EXHIBITION CLOSE MON 19 NOV | arts@darwin.nt.gov.au | darwin.nt.gov.au

Photo: Fiona Morrison

5 October 2018

Visual Arts students are helping light up landmark locations through the City of Darwin’s CITYLIFE Platform.

This artistic program aims to transform selected outdoor public spaces into outdoor galleries using lightboxes and provide a showcase for local artists.

The purpose-built lightboxes are located in the Mall, near the Chinatown carpark and at Nightcliff Pool.

Six students have developed an exhibition titled Catchlight for display in the lightboxes from October to January 2019.

One of the students, Megan Adams, said the budding artists had created a suite of 10 works reflecting Darwin.

“The artworks consider location through the lens of historic, site related and an environmental gaze,” Megan said.

“Artworks created use the lightboxes as windows to the past and present, telling Darwin’s stories from the Bougainvillea Festival to WWII reflections; environmental messages of plastic-free coastal communities to historic Chinatown.

“We have tried to capture the spirit of Darwin producing striking artworks that hopefully become a talking point among locals,” she said.

Coordinator of the Bachelor of Creative Arts Sarah Pirrie said it was great students were able to exhibit their work in busy parts of Darwin.

“As young or emerging artists, it’s sometimes difficult to access an audience. This is a wonderful partnership with the City of Darwin, providing a unique opportunity for our students to have their work displayed and seen by so many people,” Ms Pirrie said.

“It’s also a chance to work towards a professional product while studying. This real world outcome develops skills in collaborative design, project management and creativity,” she said.

The Catchlight exhibition will be launched on 5 October at 6pm at the Live Darwin Creative Hub, 19 The Mall.

5 October 2018

Presenter:  City of Darwin and Charles Darwin University

Date: Oct 05, 2018 to Feb 05, 2019

Time: 6:00pm

Contact person:  Sarah Pirrie
T: 0406 574 630
E: sarah.pirrie@cdu.edu.au

Location:  Three sites across Darwin

Catchlight features artwork by CDU students Luci Lee, Di O'Neill, Jane Anderson, Ally Peckett, Pavlina Mellios, and Megan Adams. The works resonate with place, and the pasts, presents and futures of Darwin.

CITYLIFE platform is a public art pilot plan by the City of Darwin's. Eight purpose-built lightboxes installed across Darwin host temporary exhibitions that change every four months. This artistic program is being trialled over two years with the intention of transforming selected public spaces into outdoor galleries to showcase the talents of local artists and encourage dialogue in the community.

The lightboxes are located in three sites across Darwin:

• the Mall in the city centre hosts two double-sided lightboxes at each end 

• Chinatown Car Park hosts three single-sided lightboxes

• Nightcliff Pool hosts three single-sided lightboxes.