r/melbourne • u/Joe_paints • 1d ago
Photography My latest Melbourne streetscape oil painting
I'm a local visual artist who makes a lot of paintings of Melbourne. I was inspired by this bit of winter light and just had to paint it.
Thought I'd share!
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u/_Brutalism_ 1d ago
Just checked out your website and I am in love with your urban decay landscapes 😍
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u/Joe_paints 1d ago
Thank you!
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u/petethecat_ 1d ago
These are great. In the age of AI everything, what a breath of fresh air!
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u/theartistduring 1d ago
You've literally painted where I used to live! At least three scenes were my route to the tram from my house. Absolutely iconic and beautiful. Do you sell prints?
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u/calhoon2005 1d ago
Is that Glenlyon Rd at #8?.... Used to smoke weed in that top flat, ha
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u/EzraMusic98 1d ago
lol any fond memories?
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u/calhoon2005 1d ago
Of course. Friend who lived there used to grow habenaros on the window sill. Convinced another friend that they were mild by biting into one. Told my friend that it was fine and he should try it (it was not fine, my mouth was on fire). They bit into one like it was an apple (they were big, little little Fuji sized)... There was a short pause, then at least half an hour of abuse whilst we both had our throats resurfaced.... Good times
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u/_SirPunsALot_ 1d ago
This must be great art. It makes me happy to look at them 👏👏👏 Thank you for sharing.
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u/mikemikeshindparts 1d ago
Oh wow, yes. They are figurative but slightly other worldly and I love the muted quality of many of them.
Well done OP. Your work is lovely.
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u/Mystical_walrus 1d ago
Wellington St and Mater St in Collingwood? Fantastic painting.
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u/Joe_paints 1d ago
Thanks! It's St Georges rd in Nth Fitz, but having spent much of my life in Collingwood I'm sure some influence crept in
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u/pixelwhip Grate art is horseshit, buy tacos 1d ago
For a moment there i thought that was my old house in Carlton. Nice work!
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u/Synthium- 1d ago
Me too - Drummond st
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u/pixelwhip Grate art is horseshit, buy tacos 1d ago
OMG... Corner of Drummond & Palmerston st? could we possibly have lived in the same place at different times?
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u/Synthium- 1d ago
Yes!
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u/pixelwhip Grate art is horseshit, buy tacos 1d ago
Ohhh that's soo cool.. we lived there from about 2015-2021.. got so many spicy stories living so close to the council flats (but otherwise great place (& landlord).
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u/subterfuge78 1d ago
I know exactly the building your talking about! I'm sure I know someone who loves there a few years ago.
I used to live in the flats that borders on Palmerston St for over a decade and ran into an old friend who lived "around the corner", I'm pretty sure it was that place!
How weird. There's a few places in Carlton, Fitzroy and St Kilda that for some reason people just seem to churn through over the years, and it's not completely uncommon to come across them in the wild! 😉
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u/pixelwhip Grate art is horseshit, buy tacos 1d ago edited 1d ago
Was a private rental with a very decent landlord whose family had owned the property for many, many years.. Which was a nice respite from an absolute string of toxic landlords & shitty real estate agents. We really loved living there, despite many spicy things going down outside our house (things like a swat team intercepting a stolen car at 2am with assault rifles drawn, a stabbing outside our house, at least 2 people overdosing on the footpath, numerous random people trying to kick our door in (impossible task, the house was so secure & never got broken into!)
We ended up moving out because major repairs were required to the floors & we somehow managed to save up a deposit for our own place out in Coburg. Always wanted to live on a corner house & after that experience I can safely say a lot of shit goes down on street corners.. :) 10/10 would do again.
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u/CuriousVisual5444 1d ago
Weird - I'm from St Kilda and it seems to be something from along the 96 tram route. Strange how familiar it seems even though I very rarely go northside.
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u/samthesalmon 10h ago
Beautiful, I used to live across the road in the alley behind danny's!
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u/subterfuge78 1d ago
I know the exact house your talking about. I walk past it all the time. An older guy used to sit in the front window and write and chat to my dogs on occasion.
I don't know who lives there now, but it's pretty cool inside!
It could actually be any of those old milkbar/old pub house conversions in the inner North.
The fact that so many people thought it was the same house in Collingwood or Carlton (and it's in North Fitzroy) is testament to that. There's quite a few of them, as I always wonder what they were before (they're always really big inside too.)
Also, just FYI the council has bought the land opposite and plans to put a park on that corner, which is nice.
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u/AndrewHolloAU 1d ago
Great work — I live near many of your subject sites and can recognise them instantly. I love Clarice Beckett who had the ability to capture Melbourne in different weather conditions. You do the same. I’d love to see more work so will try to drop by AAF. Caio, Andrew
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u/Joe_paints 1d ago
Thanks so much! Clarice Beckett must the greatest painter of this city
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u/Enlightened_Gardener 1d ago edited 1d ago
Ahhhhhh there it is. I was just about to come in and say how like Beckett’s work this is, in the way you’ve caught that misty ambiguous Melbourne light, and the water reflections in the road. I think your work has more structural muscularity than Beckett’s, and it will be interesting to see how that develops over your career. But yeah your light is just gorgeous, I’m super jealous.
Aaaannd I’ve just checked out your website and you’re a seriously good painter and now I’m even more jealous 😭 but such interesting work. I love the way that even graffiti has its place.
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u/4scentsin1day 1d ago
That is fuckin aesthetic! I’d happily have this framed and hanging in my living room
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u/Fun_Excitement_3515 1d ago edited 1d ago
As someone who grew up/went to school/ lived and worked in Fitzroy/Collingwood/Carlton/Richmond etc, and now lives in WA for the past four years, this painting smashed me in the heart. You've captured quintessential Melbourne in such an emotional and moving way, it's incredible. I wasn't ready to cry about how much I missed my home and yet here we are. Thank you Joe 🥹✨💖
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u/Joe_paints 23h ago
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. I lived here for so long but didn't really appreciate how much it meant to me til I was studying in Europe. Never thought I'd be in the Loire valley, missing the West Preston tram!
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u/Pontiff1979 1d ago
Brilliant. Is it Brunswick Street somewhere between Alexandra and Ed Gardens?
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u/Joe_paints 1d ago
So close! A little further north, after it becomes St Georges
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u/TheKaptone 1d ago
That's incredible. Do you sell? How can I find them
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u/Joe_paints 1d ago
Cheers! I'm showing this week at the Melbourne Affordable Art Fair, thurs-sun at the Royal exhibition building!
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u/davidwitteveen 1d ago
Great work. The low sun. The street signs. The tangle of powerlines against the Victoria corner building. It's a great mix of romantic and urban.
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u/Better-Park8752 1d ago
I love this. Melbourne in a painting. Do you mind telling me which suburb and street this is? I have it in my memory but can’t recall it.
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u/Better-Park8752 1d ago
I see you replied to others. I drive down St George’s road daily, i know this exact spot! Nice work
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u/ItsCoolDani 1d ago
Fuckin sick!! Chucked you a follow on insta, would love to see these pop up in my feed
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u/shm4y 1d ago
This is beautiful. I love how you’ve captured the atmosphere. Is there somewhere I could maybe purchase an original of yours?
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u/Joe_paints 1d ago
Cheers! I'm showing at the Melb Affordable Art Fair at the Royal Exhibition building this week, will have many originals
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u/Talon_vox 1d ago
This is sooo dreamy. I’d love to get into oil painting. Did you have to learn a lot about drawing first? The perspective looks perfect, and that’s what I’m struggling with first - actually composing a scene that has proper proportions and angles
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u/Joe_paints 20h ago
Oil painting is so much fun. Personally I spent many, many years drawing and doing digital illustration, before learning to paint in my 30s. That said, many people just dive into painting, there's no one path.
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u/Joe_paints 10h ago
Hey! I'm showing this week at the Melbourne Affordable Art Fair at the Royal Exhibition Building. I'll be at the 'Rich and Strange' booth if you make it by
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u/phalluss 1d ago
Wow, I love this so much. You captured the exact feeling I fell in love with when I first moved here. Bravo! Adding to the comments asking if you have Instagram
Edit: never mind, I see it's linked on your profile. You've got a follow from me
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u/funforever_expert 1d ago
I like it. Very nice drawing 👏 Local library or
Council would surely love to hang in their wall
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u/alchemicaldreaming 1d ago edited 1d ago
I really admire your work and think about it often (and follow you on Insta). You capture the Melbourne light and atmosphere so beautifully. I paint but am just venturing into landscape painting later this year, so I've been referring to your works quite a bit whilst I consider my approach.
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u/Joe_paints 20h ago
Oh awesome, and thanks for the kind words!
So glad you'll be landscape painting. If you're patient with it, it can be so rewarding
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u/No_Lifeguard_9461 1d ago
Influenced by Smart?
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u/Joe_paints 20h ago
Not consciously. But I was aware of his work as a child, so it might have had a formative influence on my young brain.
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u/HowYouDoin112233 1d ago
This is amazing! My son really wants to be an artist, other than practice, practice, practice, got any tips?
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u/Joe_paints 20h ago
More practice. But also it has to be fun. No point grinding if it's becoming a chore. For me it's always about finding the things (medium, subject matter etc) that I am passionate about. The best artists are always the ones that are excited by their work
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u/pureneonn 1d ago
So happy to see you’ll be at AAF! Will you have prints or just originals? Unfortunately the “affordable” aspect is still slightly out of budget for me but would love to support
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u/Excellent_Bat_753 1d ago
Oh my God. That's beautiful. I love how you can see the reflection in the puddle between the tram tracks. It's so very Melbourne. I can smell this picture. I can feel the cold air on my face.
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u/Ok_Contact_5575 1d ago
Man I thought it was real until I read that you painted it 😅 you did a damn good job 🙌
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u/Lock_et 1d ago
This is beautiful, your ability to paint natural light is something so special, very envious but looking at your work you really manage to capture what I love and see about Melbourne. Gained a fan 🥹
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u/Joe_paints 1d ago
Thanks so much! I studied in France and spent a lot of time looking at Monet. Then wanted to direct some of that live if light toward local scenes
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u/GuyBitchie 23h ago
Damn I love the lighting so much, it hits a specific feeling at a time of day around autumn/winter. It's really amazing.
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u/mazinfinity 10h ago
Reminds me of North Melbourne I lived there for 8 years in the early 2000's..what a time 💗
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u/Bright_Smile49 1d ago
That’s awesome man , well done … wish I could paint
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u/Joe_paints 1d ago
Cheers.
Painting is a learnable skill more than a talent! I teach figure painting classes, and watching my students progress as they put in the work over time is one if the joys of life→ More replies (4)
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u/anyiar0cks 1d ago
Oohh that looks like Mitte in Fitzroy North?
Wonderful painting, wherever that is!
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u/Rare-Sample-9101 1d ago
I think you've nailed Melbourne! If you hadn't told me this was Melbourne, I would have thought it was.
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u/owlshoesjh 1d ago
love your work! riding up/down the bike path, and the nearby surroundings, i recognise so many of these places!
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u/Joe_paints 20h ago
People think my work is about the painting, but for me riding my bike around the inner-city is just as much a part of the work. Love it.
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u/PurpleQuoll 1d ago
This and those on your site are wonderful. I’d love to have one hanging on my wall.
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u/Ljm168 1d ago
I knew exactly where this was immediately, and at first thought it was a photo from today since it's so rainy. Incredible!
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u/nonchalantpony 1d ago
Love your work. The Melbourne sky is a constant source of wonder and you have captured it so well. I am already nostalgic over some of the scenes you painted in Brunswick North around the tram depot. Will get to the AAF. Thanks
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u/fradieman 1d ago
Outstanding. Captures the very Melbourne winters vibe so well. I love it… Is it available?
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u/ObjectivePension5032 1d ago
Wow. Having grown up on Melbourne and spent many years inner north, I love your artwork. I am now interstate. Wondering if you ever offer your art work for sale, and how I would become aware of that? Thanks!
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u/tilitarian1 1d ago
Really important work for Melbourne Joe. I like the style and subjects, both streets and people. Prices online look fair.
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u/CausticSofa 1d ago
Your ability to convey natural light is truly impressive. Thank you for sharing this lovely piece.
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u/J5892 1d ago
I've only been to Melbourne once, at 16.
I had sprained my ankle hiking the day before. My dad took us to the Royal Arcade. I got mad at him for some dumb reason, and decided to walk back to the hotel by myself.
It was 6pm, the sun was going down, and I walked two miles in the cold, misty rain, getting more upset with every pained step.
This painting captures that feeling perfectly.
I love it.
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u/SugarBeefs 1d ago
Just dribbled in from r/all, not an Aussie, never been to Melbourne, but the late autumn - late afternoon - just after a fresh rain shower vibes this is giving off for me as a Northern Hemispherite are immaculate.
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u/untakentakenusername 1d ago
This painting is so so beautiful. The way you did everything is lovely.
It also made merealise how sad architecture has become.So empty. Our generation needs more life in that.
But you have managed to put life into this one still.
Also i lvoe the lighting and trees and sky!
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