Colin Husband Paul Bennett

Colin Husband and Paul Bennett initially met professionally, through Husband’s work as a photographer. Over the years they have become friendly. They attend a life-drawing class together, taught by Wendy Sharpe, and have drawn each other on various occasions.

Bennett is the creative director of a successful advertising agency. He is also a designer and has sung with Queensland Opera, Willoughby Musical Society and the North Shore Temple Emanuel. ‘His zest for life is delicious and he happily shares his time with family, friends and causes close to his heart,’ says Husband. ‘He is one of the most spiritual people I know. He’s very gentle; a bit off-the-planet sometimes. He’s a very warm person and that’s the feeling I wanted to get in the portrait.’

Born in 1946, Husband studied architecture and industrial design in the 1960s and 70s. He has worked as a model maker and exhibition designer and redesigned the entire Whirlpool range for Malleys. In the late 70s he traded his airbrush for a camera and has worked as a professional photographer for the last 25 years concentrating on advertising and commercial work. But he kept his paint brushes which he picked up again in the early 90s. Husband says that his mixed media paintings attempt to record simultaneously what he actually sees, its aura and how we feel about it.