Welcome to Graeme Bailey's Studio
This site features some examples of drawings, graphic art, T Shirt Designs,
and other commercial art produced by Graeme Bailey
A brief history
Graeme's art career started some time around 1949 with a drawing of a cow.
(His Grandfather added some legs). A few years later, Graeme is still
working on various projects. He is available to draw, illustrate, paint,
or teach, and is equally familiar with the computer or the pencil, he
can work happily with PhotoShop, Corel PhotoPaint, or a paintbrush, fingertip
or stick of charcoal.
Graeme started work in 1961 with a temporary job for the post office, as
an assistant to the draughtsmen. After his School Certificate results
were published in January 1962, he started work with Cliff Press's subsidiary
offset lithography company Photolithox Printing in Hastings NZ. A week
before his 17th birthday Graeme left home and went to Wellington NZ to
work for Joseph Churchward Advertising Art Studio. Many times he would
work right through the night helping with the production of hand-drawn
illustrations and lettering. Afterwards he worked for Lintas, J Inglis
Wright (the largest advertising agency in NZ at the time, before travelling
to Sydney. A few days after arriving he started work with Rodgers Holland
and Everingham who were the top creative agency in Australia at the time.
Afterwards, Graeme worked two years with David Heweston Art Studio. Graeme
travelled to New Guinea in late 1969 accompanying David Heweston, Jon
Waddy, and David's wife Sue, on an expedition up the Sepik
River to take photographs..In
New Guinea, Graeme worked for Territory Airlines, Steamshios Trading Co,
Narime Hotel in Vanimo and drew and painted extensively. He did portraiture
in Madang, Wewak, and lived and painted in the Ninigo and Hermit
Islands 200 miles north of New Guinea in the Bismarck Sea.
Cairns
In September 1973 Graeme left New Guinea and worked briefly for Cliff
Batt at Yungaburra, did some signwriting at Lake Barrine, before settling
in Cairns. His love of the tropics, combined with the desire to do fine
art led to various work experiences, including commissions in charcoal,
pastel and oil portraiture and even sculpture (with Hans Nielsen) Graeme
worked with the Workshops Gallery, Upstairs Gallery and had some fine
art exhibitions. He was well known for his charcoal portraits which he
would do from life. He taught outdoor painting classes. He collaborated
with Hans Nielsen the sculptor, designing three sculptures including the
pioneer group for the Cairns Lawn Park Cemetery. Graeme spent many years
doing T Shirts designs for the T Shirt Factory Cairns, Stover Art and
also Tropic City Art and T Shirt Advertising Clifton Beach. He was commissioned
to do a large mural for the opening of the Cairns International
airport in 1984.
Graeme became interested in computers in 1981 and bought a ZX81. (with 16Kb
RAM!) He did illustrations for various businesses in the Cairns region
with many crocodiles. palm trees, marlins, and of course frangipanis and
hibiscus illustrations. He has concentrated on landscape paintings, figures,
faces, especially of aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander portrayals.
He has done part of a university Degree in Information Technology by external
studies from the CQU university in Rochampton. He has worked three and
a half years installing and teaching computers for a Cairns Computer Company,
and has certificates in Workplace Training and Assessment, and Small
Business Management. He has taught Art from 2002 to the
present, and has taught computers from 2002 to the present. He has been
involved with programming and has done websites from 1999 to the present.
He is still involved with freelance illustration, fine art and portraiture.
Recent Projects 