Michael Bell The Sandman

Michael Bell has known comedian/writer Stephen Abbott for 20 years and has worked with him many times, doing drawings for Abbott’s books and t-shirts. For the Archibald, Bell decided to paint Abbott as The Sandman, the character he uses on Channel 10’s Good news week, in which he appears weekly with his side-kick Flacco. Abbott is also a regular on Triple J radio.

The drawings for the portrait were done at Bermagui and Newcastle in NSW – though Abbott didn’t drop his pants. ‘I’ve taken a bit of artistic licence,’ admits Bell. ‘I used it because it’s the great comedy gag and thankfully Steve didn’t mind. Mind you, he went nude last year at the Comedy Festival so it’s obviously not a problem for him.’

Bell knew the pose he wanted but originally contemplated painting Abbott in a stage setting or in a dressing room. In the end he settled on the beach as ‘a more oblique landscape. It seemed more surreal to see him there with a suit and tie.’ The portrait took six weeks to paint.

Born in Maitland, NSW, in 1959, Bell has had work in the 1994 and 1999 Sulman Prize. This is his first time as an Archibald finalist.