Eric Minchin

Eric Minchin was effervescent, energetic, lovable, one of Australia?s best known artists, a colourful outback character and a truly great Australian. He had an enormous love of Australia and Australians. He was completely captivated with the sheer beauty and harshness of the outback and talked constantly of his fascination with the colours and shapes of the creek beds, the trees, the skies and above all the people. From these deep emotions he drew the inspiration for his paintings, and through his paintings, the Broken Hill area and the Australian outback will live forever.

Eric, as the founder, had a vision of using their talents to showcase the art of outback Australia to the world and at the same time, raise much needed money for worthwhile charities. Over the 20 years till he died in 1994, as a group and individually, they had raised well over a million dollars for charities around Australia.

They enjoy a prolific demand for their paintings and exhibited throughout Australia and in major international exhibitions throughout the world including Los Angeles, New York, London and Rome. They enjoyed the privilege on two occasions of an official royal opening when in 1976 H.R.H. the Duchess of Kent opened the London exhibition and in 1977 H.R.H.. the Prince of Wales opened an exhibition in Canberra.

Broken Hill City council declared 2006 the year of ?The Brushmen of the Bush?. A retrospective exhibition opened that year in the Broken Hill regional Gallery and is travelling extensively through the Australian Regional Gallery circuit presently showing in Swan Hill Regional Gallery. This is a great boost to the Brushman?s fame and will surely further enhance the value of owning their works.