The heavy impasto and dense surface texture of this portrait are Australian artist Evert Ploeg's artistic signature. At the time it was painted, Ploeg lived and worked in a converted barn, the ceiling of which was lined with jute wool bales. He recalls that he often wondered about painting on jute, but felt that he needed the right subject. Having seen Deborah Mailman accept an Australian Film Institute award with palpable warmth and sincerity for her performance in the film adaptation of Louis Nowra's play “Radiance,” he invited her to sit for this portrait. A Bidjara and Māori (Ngāti Porou and Te Arawa) actor and singer, Mailman was in her early twenties when she co-devised and appeared in the one-woman stage show “Seven Stages of Grieving,” which was later staged in London. She went on to perform in films such as “Rabbit-Proof Fence,” “Bran Nue Dae,” and “The Sapphires” plus TV series “The Secret Life of Us,” “Offspring,” “Redfern Now,” “Cleverman,” and “Total Control.” Speaking about her portrait to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mailman said “I feel he (Ploeg) has brought to light a deeper, more contemplative side of myself.” Mailman is seated on a floor with her legs crossed. The background is a rough, textured mottled beige unfinished industrial surface with stenciled letters and numbers. She is the central focus, and the lighting is soft, highlighting her features and the folds of her clothing. The actress has dark skin, dark curly hair, and is looking directly at us with a calm focused expression. She has full, vibrant red lips and is wearing a loose-fitting, off-white kaftan-esque garment with a deep V-neck that reveals a portion of her chest. The fabric drapes around her body in soft folds, suggesting a casual and relaxed posture. Her legs are crossed in front of her, with one foot and part of the other leg visible. The use of a warm color palette, including the skin tones, the background, and the clothing, creates a realistic harmonious atmosphere.

“Deborah Mailman” by Evert Ploeg (Australian) - Oil on jute / 1999 - National Portrait Gallery (Canberra, Australia) #WomenInArt #portrait #art #EvertPloeg #Ploeg #artText #portraitofawoman #DeborahMailman #AustralianArt #artwork #AustralianArtist #jute #actress #NationalPortraitGallery #BlueskyArt