The Emerging Musician. Portrait of Solomon. Oil on Canvas. 2024

​My daughter, grandkids, and I went to the homeschool markets and a friend, Angela, gave Solomon a ukulele to do some busking. 
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Solomon had never had a music or singing lesson, but he did it anyway. He spent the next two hours making up songs and strumming strings. Every time he ran out of customers he picked a new spot in the park. Two friends joined him with tambourines and that formed a band. Another friend came along to manage them and became the band manager.

 Two hours later they’d raised 50 bucks and they got $10 each. 

I thought, wow, we have to get this kid into music so I looked around for a music teacher and Solomon began learning the ukulele. ​

One year later, I was watching Solomon in in his music lesson, and I  I thought about the years and decades artists put into their craft, without ever really knowing where it’s going.

I thought about how we usually wait until musicians are highly skilled  before we invite them to perform, so I decided I could honour him now, at the beginning of his journey with the art that I have spent my life evolving.

I began with photographs and sketches. Solomon has a very busy mind, and loves to move a lot, so I added the family dog who ran around and around Solomon during his playing.

I added the fishing pole because this barefoot boy loves to fish.

After sketches I trialled several paintings and compositions before I began this one. It evolved from highly colourful to mystical and emerging. 

​After it’s completion I had a painting reveal so Solomon could see his painting. He told me it was ‘very good,’ and ‘it almost looked like him, but his hair was much thicker.’ 

In March 2024 we drove this painting to the NSWAG to enter it into the Archibald. I knew there was a miniscule chance of it being accepted, but the joy of taking Solomon, his brother and the painting to Sydney was incalculable. It was their first time in Sydney and it was so much fun. 

Thank you for sharing my journey with me. Monica

’The Young Musician’ was a finalist in the Queensland Figurative 2025