News and Introduction By Michael Fox 

                                                                            New works are coming to the Oasis.




26th of January 2024
Meeting with Sally Leydon
Don had  a very interesting one on one with Sally Leydon this morning who was the catalyst for the Channel 7 Pod Cast,  "The Lady Vanishes'.  Sally is currently in the process of organizing several fund raising events to continue the search for her mother who disappeared without a trace 27 years ago.  Don has donated one of his Figurative works to help Sally to raise money for her cause.  For more information about Sally, her quest and upcoming events, go to her site.  https://sallyleydon.com/  Photograph: At the James Street Casual Boardroom, courtesy of Nittaya Inphirut.




Conversation New Years Eve 2023 with Professor Boonchuay and Dr. Chitchanok 
It was a great privilege to meet Professor Boonchuay Doojai, Visiting Lecturer, MCU, Chiang Mai and Dr Chitchanok Tupthai, MA English, CMRU, Phd Buddhism, MCU CM at the Shangri La Hotel in Chiang Mai on the eve of New Years and discuss how art could influence, encourage and redefine our society. This is especially the case with written and published documents (books) which can help individuals with their study in their development stages of a creative path and inspire them to continue the pursuit of an artistic career. Several of my published books were shared and discussed including Tide Line which I co authored with Dr John Dahlsen in the last few years.







A Word from Michael Fox of Arts Accountants and Fox Galleries
 
One of the strongest memories I have from my association with Don Hill's work was the reaction it caused
the day after September 11 2001. Three of his paintings sold on that surreal day, as though they served as a
reminder of the beauty still existing in the world.
I first became acquainted with Don's work the year prior to the aforementioned events and was drawn to the
continuing development of his aesthetic over a 30 year period.
Though he grew up in Ipswich and had early tuition from Frank De Silva, inspiration was eastward to the sea
and to Moreton Bay in particular.
He was not the first artist so inspired, however where the interpretation of our coastal fringes had traditionally
been of a representational kind, Don strove to convey a sense of oneness with this environment.
The works I first viewed almost five years ago contained a spiritual attachment to the coastal environment,
heightened by a relief - like depth of oil on canvas.
This interpretation carried through to the execution of the completed artwork by fashioning his stretchers by hand,
resulting in paintings that could be best described as object d art.
Over the past few years Don has turned his attention inland once more and completed a number of series of works
exploring the interaction of land, sky and cloud. He has chosen to exhibit these works in regional centres to
gauge the reaction of viewers who actually live amongst these landscapes. I look forward to observing the
evolution of Don's aesthetic in the future.
Michael Fox
Director
Fox Galleries Melbourne