Looking for Colour, Palmer River, Cape York, Queensland – SOLD
Detail photos for this Artwork
The Palmer River in Far North Queensland and the area surrounding the river was the site of a major gold rush which began in 1873. Years later well after the gold rush, Sawrey travelled through this area several times for both work and pleasure.
In this oil painting he conveys a prospector panning for alluvial gold on the banks of the Palmer, dipping his pan into the river bed and then looking for flashes of gold in amongst the sand and grit from the river, hence the title “Looking for Colour”.
Hugh Sawrey was known for enjoying a bit of prospecting, which was an enjoyable pastime when the opportunity arose. He would often include a gold pan in his kit when making travels to the west or to north Queensland with mates and family.
Sawrey’s sons fondly recall a trip with Hugh in the mid-1980’s when he journeyed up to Cape York, at a time when the road to Cape Tribulation was not yet open. Along the way, Sawrey tried his hand panning in the Palmer River. Interestingly too, over the years, Sawrey painted some beautiful scenes and portraits of gold miners on gold mining pans.
