Sharen-Lee McLachlan is an internationally renowned artist who specialises in Airbrushing Art. Seven years ago she decided to do an Airbrushing course and has now embarked on an amazing journey into the world of ink and air.
I am one of those artists who have been doing art my whole life. My best days were spent in the forest looking for fairies with my Grandmother, helping her decorate cakes and listening to my Grandfather play the spoons and sing songs. It was at this time that I gained an appreciation for nature and for the beauty and wonder of animals. But as with so many latent artists, having a busy family and business life meant I never really saw my art grow in the way I wanted it to and my time was very limited. When I did get time to create, I wasn’t achieving the results I knew I wanted from my art.
My husband and I own a panel beating business on the beautiful Gold Coast and we were exploring different ways to grow the business. One of my ideas was to look at maybe airbrushing cars and motorbikes as an add-on service. I went and did my first airbrushing course – and so the journey began!
I loved painting the cars and bikes but found that I was also starting to receive commissioned work – the majority being of pets, so I needed more space to be able to paint without having to move pieces I was working on. So at the beginning of 2016, my sister Teresa (who is a Graphic Designer and illustrator) and I opened our first art studio called Sisters Air Artistry where we not only teach airbrushing and drawing but we also are able to do our commissioned pieces as well.
In April 2015, I was asked to exhibit as a RAW Artist in Currumbin on the Gold Coast. RAW exhibitions are great because they feature art, photography, music and fashion creatives all showing their work on the one night. It was wonderful to be able to take part in an event like this and it to be able to share my love of animals with others through airbrushing.
Also in 2015, I was lucky enough to be approached to do a painting of Smoky The War Dog - a little Australian Yorkshire Terrier, by the charity group AWAMO (Australian War Animals Memorial Organisation). AWAMO was trying another time to have Smoky awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery in wartime. I was so honoured to be asked to paint Smoky, and so amazed by her story that I did two paintings. One of the paintings has been sent over to America to William A. Wynne, Smoky’s saviour during wartime, who is now 97. The other painting hangs proudly in the Mater Hospital in Brisbane.
Since then, I have been called the “Official Artist” for AWAMO and have completed more paintings of animals during wartime (including Stan the Ram – the official mascot of the 8th/9th Royal Australian Regiment Infantry Unit and another of Shaun Ward and his dog Ozzy serving in Afghanistan). I have also illustrated the children’s book “The Purple Poppy” written by Nigel Allsopp telling the story of the brave animals who serve their countries during battle. This book has now been nominated to win the Children’s Book of the Year 2016. I am currently illustrating another book for the charity and am so honoured to be associated with this organisation.
At the studio, we have also decided to challenge ourselves by entering art competitions. It has always been my dream to enter the Archibald Prize and this year I finally did. Although this time I was not successful, the experience of being part of such a wonderful competition was really inspiring.
I am pleased to announce that in one of these competitions, the Brisbane Art Prize, I was named as a finalist with my painting “Love”, a painting of my niece Sheridan and her gorgeous Malteze/Shitzu dog Nelson. The Brisbane Art Prize is an international art competition where each piece must be 40cm x 40cm” and this year’s theme was “The Meaning of Life. It was definitely challenging to paint something so small in this genre but I was so pleased with the result. There is something very satisfying about seeing something you have created hanging in a gallery with so many other beautiful pieces of art.
I am also really enjoying being able to paint all different types of animals. My favourites include gorillas, lions, snow leopards, turtles, seagulls dogs and many more. There is something so intriguing about trying to capture an animal’s spirit and I particularly love painting the furry kind. All my animals get named as each of them seems to take on a life all of their own.
You can really get lost in the serenity of airbrushing and quite often we find that if we are painting we can easily zone out without noticing – and even our students do it! The sound of the air and the repetition required to do details of fur in particular is so soothing and therapeutic too.
I was fortunate to be published in the Woodlands Publishing Magazine Artist’s Palette 2016 Yearbook edition with a selection of my favourite works and completed illustrations for a second book in the same year.
In 2017 I have been lucky enough to be asked to exhibit again with Urban Paradise Gallery in Surfers Paradise and RAW Gold Coast. I also became a finalist in the Light Space and Time Online Abstract Exhibition with my work called “Fall” and then went on to win the “All Women” Contemporary Art Competition with my work called “Hunter”.
Official Artist for AWAMO (Australian War Animals Memorial Organisation)
“Stan the Ram” – airbrushed painting of 8th/9th Royal Australian Regiment Infantry Unit Mascot now hanging at the Enoggera Barracks Museum.
“Smoky the War Dog” – assisted in the campaign to have Smoky awarded the Purple Cross for Bravery for her efforts in WW2 by painting two airbrushed paintings. One original painting now with owner William A. Wynne in America and the other hanging in the Mater Hospital Brisbane.
Illustrated “The Purple Poppy” by Nigel Allsopp – nominated for Best Children’s Book 2016
Have illustrated second book written by Nigel Allsopp currently in negotiations with publisher.
“Shaun Ward and Ozzy” – airbrushed painting of Sapper Shaun Ward and his working dog Ozzy serving in Afghanistan, presented to Shaun at the Melbourne Dog Lover’s Show 2016.
Exhibitions
RAW Artists Gold Coast - Southport Sharks Club - January 2017 Group Exhibition
Urban Paradise Gallery – Surfers Paradise – January 2017 Group Exhibition
RAW Artists Gold Coast – Currumbin RSL June 2015
Magazines
Art/Edit Magazine - Autumn Edition 2017
Artist’s Palette - Yearbook Edition 19 December 2016
- Insight Article & Demonstration Article
Private commissioned works
Paintings (specialising in animals and photographs)
Competitions
Special Recognition - Seascapes Online Art Competition - “Morning Glory” Airbrushing Ink on Canvas - 2017
Best In Show - All Animals Online Art Competition - “Sabu” - Airbrushing Ink on Canvas - 2017
Special Merit Category - Animals Online Art Competition - “Ice Storm” - Airbrushing Ink on MDF Board - 2017
Best In Show - All Women Online Art Competition - “Hunter” - Airbrushing Ink on Canvas - 2017
Finalist - Abstracts Online Art Competition - “Fall” - Acrylics on Canvas - 2017
Finalist - Brisbane Art Prize – “Love” - Airbrushing Ink on MDF Board - 2016 | 
