Artist captures whisky pioneer’s spirit

THE “godfather of Australian whisky” said he was blown away when asked to be painted for Australia’s most prestigious annual portraiture prize.

Kettering’s Elizabeth Hunn painted a portrait of Bill Lark over several months for last year’s Archibald.

“She really captured the light coming through the glass of whisky and a look of contemplation people get when drinking whisky with a good friend,” Mr Lark said.

On Monday they met again as Mr Lark took possession of the purchase to hang on the wall at Hobart’s Lark Distillery.

Mrs Hunn, who first picked up a paint brush 10 years ago in an adult education class, said she planned to paint landscape but the class was full so she settled on a portrait class.

“I just loved portrait, when I decided to enter the Archibald I had heard so much about the kind and generous Bill Lark I knew I had to approach him,” she said.

Strict regulations effectively prohibited the establishment of boutique distilleries in Australia until 1992 when the Larks lobbied to have the laws overturned and set up Lark Distillery.

Sydney’s Tony Costa won the 98th Archibald Prize for his portrait of fellow artist Lindy Lee. There were 978 entries.

Mrs Hunn, who will enter again, may also knock on the door of well-known Tasmanians Lara Giddings, Alannah Hills or Hannah Gadsby, who she wants to paint.

Distillery founder Mr Lark said with the impact of COVID-19 sales had dropped to hospitality businesses but bottle shops were still buying.