Leith
O’Malley was born with pencil in
hand in Mount Barker, South Australia
in 1960 but has spent the majority of
his life living in the city of Whyalla,
South Australia. His passion for drawing
came at a very early age, being influenced
by the illustrative style and cartoon
work of American “Mad magazine”,
and later by notable Australian newspaper
cartoonist Paul Rigby, Michael Leunig
and American poster artist Rick Griffin.
Leith’s
early work in Adelaide included freelance
illustration contributions to various
magazines, before moving to Whyalla in
1986. He was quickly snapped up to provide
regular cartoons to Steel City Times and
later became the editorial cartoonist
for the Whyalla News.
Leith
made the transition from line to brush
in the early nineties after workshops
with Blake and Wynne Prize winning Australian
War Artist “George Gittoes”.
Soon after Leith co-founded the “Red
Dust Contemporary Art Group” exhibiting
artwork throughout regional and metropolitan
galleries. Since this time Leith has continued
painting and exhibiting his work, holding
a number of commissions for artwork and
being invited to contribute to several
touring exhibitions. In 1999 Leith won
the Whyalla Industrial Art Prize for his
large haunting oil on canvas “Industrial
Refugee”.
The
ability to work in many mediums including
digital has allowed Leith to have his
work seen by a much larger audience, yet
still enjoy the choice of living in the
country. Now with a presence on the internet,
Leith’s traditional and computer
illustrated work is popular with both
Australian and International media and
business organizations.
Clients
who have used Leith’s graphic work
have included the Guenette Production
Company (Los Angeles), Le’Mag Magazine
(France), BHP (Australia), Tokyo Electron
(Texas), Bristol University (UK) and even
the United States Coast Guard.
Although
he will tell you that the computer will
never replace the feeling of brush on
canvas or pen on paper, Leith’s ability
to use the tools of both traditional and
digital mediums has opened further windows
of opportunity for him, and also given
visitors from around the world the opportunity
to discover yet another creative South
Australian.
Leith
is currently preparing more work for his
ongoing exhibition “”Jazz Ïs
Art, Art Is Jazz” which is a collection
of both oil and pastel works with a jazz
theme. A huge contemporary and traditional
jazz fan, his love of this music led him
to take up the tenor saxophone a few years
ago and it is the music of choice when
he is working on any of his paintings
these days.
:: Website ::
More paintings and information on the
artist can be found at his personal website
Leith
OMalley - Australian Artist
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