Bill Leak
Encyclopedia
Bill Leak is a cartoonist and painter, primarily of portraits. He is the daily editorial cartoonist on The Australian
newspaper. He has won the Walkley Awards
nine times.
Leak has entered the Archibald Prize
at least 13 times, and was hung 11 times. These included portraits of Donald Bradman
in 1989, Malcolm Turnbull
in 1994, Graham Richardson
in 1995, Tex Perkins
in 1997, Gough Whitlam
in 1998, Sir Les Patterson
in 2000 and Robert Hughes
in 2001. He won the Packing Room prize twice (for Tex Perkins and Sir Les Patterson) and also won the people's choice award for Malcolm Turnbull. In addition two paintings of him by other artists have also won the people's choice award: a painting by Josonia Palaitis
in 1995, and one by Esther Erlich
in 2000. He "is widely regarded by good judges as the best painter never to have won the Archibald prize, an omission many of them regard as one of the greatest travesties of Australian art".
He was interviewed in the 2005 Peter Berner
documentary about the Archibald Prize called Loaded Brush.
In 2007 he ran into trouble by portraying the then leader of the opposition Kevin Rudd
as Tintin
(accompanied by Snowy). This was resolved by Leak promising to not profit from any sales of cartoons from this series.
On 18 October 2008 he sustained serious head injuries in a fall and, while his outlook was initially poor, he recovered.
His TV series, Face Painting, in which he paints portraits of people who have died, went to air on the ABC
in November 2008. Portraits painted for this show include Australian actor June Salter
, musician Bon Scott
and Aboriginal activist Charles Perkins.
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
newspaper. He has won the Walkley Awards
Walkley Awards
The annual Walkley Awards, under the administration of the Walkley Foundation for Journalism, are presented in Australia to recognise and reward excellence in journalism. Finalists are chosen by an independent board of eminent journalists and photographers. The awards cover all media including...
nine times.
Leak has entered the Archibald Prize
Archibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after a bequest from J. F. Archibald, the editor of The Bulletin who died in 1919...
at least 13 times, and was hung 11 times. These included portraits of Donald Bradman
Donald Bradman
Sir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
in 1989, Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives since 2004, and was Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party from 16 September 2008 to 1 December 2009.Turnbull has represented the Division...
in 1994, Graham Richardson
Graham Richardson
Graham Frederick Richardson , a former Australian politician, was a Senator for New South Wales from 1983–94 for the Australian Labor Party, a senior minister in Hawke and Keating governments, and is now a political lobbyist, public speaker, and media commentator. During his time in politics,...
in 1995, Tex Perkins
Tex Perkins
Tex Perkins is an Australian singer-songwriter, who is widely known for fronting the popular Australian rock-band The Cruel Sea, but has also performed with the Beasts of Bourbon, Thug, James Baker Experience, The Butcher Shop, Salamander Jim, and Tex, Don and Charlie. He has also released many...
in 1997, Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
in 1998, Sir Les Patterson
Sir Les Patterson
Dr Sir Leslie Colin Patterson is a fictional character portrayed by the Australian comedian Barry Humphries. Obese, lecherous and offensive, this farting, belching, nose-picking figure of Rabelaisian excess is an antipodean Falstaff...
in 2000 and Robert Hughes
Robert Hughes (critic)
Robert Studley Forrest Hughes, AO is an Australian-born art critic, writer and television documentary maker who has resided in New York since 1970.-Early life:...
in 2001. He won the Packing Room prize twice (for Tex Perkins and Sir Les Patterson) and also won the people's choice award for Malcolm Turnbull. In addition two paintings of him by other artists have also won the people's choice award: a painting by Josonia Palaitis
Josonia Palaitis
Josonia Palaitis is an Australian artist living in Sydney, Australia. She won the 1994 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize with a portrait of her father artist John Mills. In 1995 she won the Archibald Prize People's Choice award with a portrait of artist and cartoonist for the Australian Newspaper...
in 1995, and one by Esther Erlich
Esther Erlich
Esther Erlich is a Melbourne based Australian artist who has been exhibiting since 1985. She won the 1998 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize with her painting, "Gaunt and Glorious" a portrait of Steve Moneghetti....
in 2000. He "is widely regarded by good judges as the best painter never to have won the Archibald prize, an omission many of them regard as one of the greatest travesties of Australian art".
He was interviewed in the 2005 Peter Berner
Peter Berner
Peter Berner is an Australian comedian, radio and television presenter, probably best known as host of television's The Einstein Factor.-Comedy:He has been involved in the Australian comedy scene since the 1990s...
documentary about the Archibald Prize called Loaded Brush.
In 2007 he ran into trouble by portraying the then leader of the opposition Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
as Tintin
Tintin (character)
Tintin is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin, the series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé. Tintin is the protagonist of the series, a reporter and adventurer who travels around the world with his dog Snowy....
(accompanied by Snowy). This was resolved by Leak promising to not profit from any sales of cartoons from this series.
On 18 October 2008 he sustained serious head injuries in a fall and, while his outlook was initially poor, he recovered.
His TV series, Face Painting, in which he paints portraits of people who have died, went to air on the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
in November 2008. Portraits painted for this show include Australian actor June Salter
June Salter
June Marie Salter AM was an Australian actress.-Biography:June Salter was born in Bexley, New South Wales, the youngest of six children. As a child she studied piano and elocution and attended Kogarah Secondary School...
, musician Bon Scott
Bon Scott
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
and Aboriginal activist Charles Perkins.
External links
- 1997 Walkely Award - Bill Leak for 'The Big Picture'
- 2002 Walkley Award - Bill Leak for 'Brown Nose Day'
- Three Cartoonists - transcript of Andrew Denton’s ABC interview with cartoonist Bruce Petty, Bill Leak and Patrick Cook
- Drawing and quartering our pollies - Article includes comments by Bill Leak on his cartooning and the reactions he gets