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Chancellor delighted by portrait
University of the Sunshine Coast Chancellor John Dobson could not hide his delight when he helped unveil a large portrait of himself at USC’s Chancellery this week.
He praised Blue Mountains artist Christopher McVinish for the painting, which was presented to USC at a gathering of about 40 invited guests on Monday 28 June.
“I feel so honoured by the University to have my portrait painted,” he said. “It signifies a broadening of my life for me to be involved in the University in the way I am.”
John Dobson, who has been a Catholic priest for 40 years, was appointed USC’s Chancellor in March 2007. He said he believed the portrait projected more of his personality than a photograph ever could.
“I was very impressed and quite chuffed with it really,” he said. “I’d like to pay tribute to the artist. I think he did very well.”
John Dobson said he first posed for the portrait wearing his Chancellor’s gown over his suit, but when he removed the gown and was chatting with Mr McVinish, the artist asked him to “hold that pose”.
“Chris said that having the gown draped over my arm allowed who I am to come through more in the portrait, rather than just my role as Chancellor,” he said.
Mr McVinish said he had enjoyed working with John Dobson on this project, which he described as “an interesting exercise from start to finish”.
“Of all the forms of art, portraiture is one of the most difficult,” he said. “You have to learn the inner workings of a person: how he sees himself and how he wants to be seen by the public. It’s a great mountain to climb.
“I think in this portrait of John, I’ve neared the peak of that mountain.”
The portrait is featured in the Chancellery alongside paintings of USC’s previous Chancellors – Justice Gerald Fitzgerald AC and Ian Kennedy AO – and founding Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Thomas AM who retired in June.
The previous three portraits were painted by Lawrence Daws in 1988, 1999 and 2000.
— Terry Walsh