Esther Erlich Deborah Conway

Deborah Conway’s career as a singer, songwriter and actor took off when she threw away a modelling contract and recorded the hit ??Man over board// in 1985 with her second band Do Re Mi. In 1991 she launched her solo career, winning an ARIA Award in 1992 as best female performer. In July 2002 she releases a retrospective album called Only the bones. Along the way she has had three children, recorded several albums and appeared in Peter Greenaway’s film Prospero’s books and Pete Townshend’s musical The iron man. Last year she starred in the stage show Always Patsy Cline.

‘I love her face, she’s really beautiful with those red lips and that mad hair. She’s a gorgeous person. She makes real contact with her eyes.’

During the sitting at Conway’s home, ‘She was great,’ says Erlich. ‘She has a really casual way and lots of personality. She was a model once so she is very natural.’ Erlich painted several portraits of Conway in various poses – standing, sitting on the couch. ‘This was the final canvas,’ says Erlich. ‘It suddenly hit me that I was happy to paint her this way.’

Born in Melbourne, Erlich was a finalist in the 2000 Archibald Prize for her portrait of Bill Leak, which won the People’s Choice Award. In 1998, she won the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize.