Unveiling spotlights a recently completed portrait commission or figurative work from some of the best and most active members of the Portrait Society of America. This month, Kimberly Azzarito, Assistant Director of the Portrait Society, interviewed Evert Ploeg about his recently completed portrait commission of Michael Happell, president of the Melbourne Cricket Club.

Unveiling

Evert Ploeg: Portrait of Michael Happell

By Kim Azzarito

This past August, Australian artist Evert Ploeg unveiled a new commissioned portrait of Michael Happell, president of the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC). The club was founded in 1838 and is one of the oldest and largest sporting clubs in Australia, and boasts one of the biggest stadiums in the Southern Hemisphere. Happell is the 31st president of the MCC and his new portrait will be displayed alongside his predecessors in the historic Long Room at the Melbourne Cricket Ground stadium. After visiting the National Portrait Gallery in Australia’s capital city, Canberra, and viewing a number of Ploeg’s works in the collection, Happell and his family chose him to paint the official portrait.Evert Ploeg, Michael Happell, President Melbourne Cricket Club, 2022, oil on linen, 54 x 36"

“Our collaboration began when I met Michael at the MCC,” recalls Ploeg. “The conversation quickly led to Michael’s love of sport, in particular his passion for ‘real tennis’—the original racquet sport from which the modern game of tennis is derived—one of several games called ‘the sport of kings.’ It definitely drew parallels for me with cricket and the wonderful history both of these sports have.”

The portrait’s composition creates a strong visual perspective with diagonals, seen in the wooden paneling and seating structure, subtlety reinforced with the sunlight across Happell’s face and clothing. Walking around the MCC, the incredible display of memorabilia caught Ploeg’s eye, including photographs that showcased the rich history of traditional striped cricket attire. “We both agreed that an outdoor narrative would be the direction to explore, creating a departure from previous presidents’ portraits,” said Ploeg. He was particularly inspired by a visit to the old Albert Cricket Ground close to the modern stadium. He recalls, “the magnificent club house with the contrasting cream and green colors reminded me instantly of the photos I’d seen and spoke volumes of the yesteryear feel I wanted to evoke. It was also a way of including the ‘real tennis’ Michael is so fond of, not in a pictorial way but more so in attitude.”

Currently on the easel, Ploeg has just finished an allegorical work of Leila Jeffreys, an internationally-known fine art photographer of birds. “I used her hands to create a shadow puppet bird shape, the play of light and darkness representing Leila’s advocacy for conservation, shining a light on how we are debilitating habitat and casting a shadow on the future of the natural world,” says Ploeg. He is also preparing for a workshop to be held within an antique warehouse, focusing on taking a plein-air approach in the interior landscape.

Ploeg’s previous commissioned portraits have included, Dr. Paul Scully Power, Australia’s first astronaut in space, professor Derek Denton of the Florey Institute and, more recently, portraits of Mrs.Tamara Fraser, former First Lady of Australia, art collector and philanthropist, and former director of the National Portrait Gallery, Angus Trumble. “Uniqueness and individualism, I consider to be strong starting points in a portrait,” explains Ploeg. “The subject shouldn’t just be a carbon copy from life—one needs to paint and express the personality, particularly through a skill in application, composition and color placement. I like to see works which still allow the viewer to explore and ponder the subject—it’s important to maintain interest and thus create longevity.” —