Watson is a brilliant painter. Richly visual and vividly coloured, his homoerotic and often surreal take on contemporary realism, celebrates masculinity, our community’s icons and heroes and of course the works of the great masters of painting. Watson has had some of the sexiest and most famous male models grace his canvasses including Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears, gay porn star Alex Baresi, and AFL footballers Brodie Holland and Paul Licuria, as well as a host of local and international hotties. And the names and faces that feature in his latest exhibition, Classic De Novo II are even more impressive.

Ross Watson hails from Brisbane originally, and always knew he wanted to be an artist; specifically, a painter. He worked overseas, at one point painting trompe l’oeils (murals) in designer kitchens for Harrods in London. One of those murals is said to have featured in Margaret Thatcher’s house.

Watson never really had what you could call humble beginnings. His first exhibition was in 1984 at the now long gone Acland Street gallery, in Melbourne. In 1988 he was invited by the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, to be in their Imaging AIDS exhibition. And from that point on his career has been on the rise. While the distinct unique style and perspective he carved out in his work didn’t bode that well with the ‘arts elite’, he was very popular with art lovers, and that’s seen his work feature in numerous cultural festivals and publications around the world.

“I’ve been very fortunate in my career,” Watson explains. “I’ve had many positive and fortuitous nudges in the ‘art’ direction. I started without a real sense of a particular direction. I did drawings and paintings… I explored my craft. Being chosen for some key shows like Imaging AIDS was a huge boost. Having someone like Elton John as a fan of my work… to like my work enough to collect it was also really wonderful. It made me feel like I could make it as an artist. The life I saw for myself can be a reality. And that’s what I’ve done.”

The artist did so well in those early days that around ten years ago, Watson quit the commercial gallery scene and instead opened his own gallery where he shows and sells his own work. Together with his partner Stephen Morgan, they manage the gallery and Watson’s career, taking his work nationally and overseas, participating in festivals, meeting collectors and finding inspiration. In 2008 Watson had two sell-out shows in London, and last year exhibited in Berlin’s Christopher Street Festival.

These days, a Ross Watson painting will set you back anywhere from $3,000 AUD to $35,000 AUD. Prints of his works alone can cost anywhere from hundreds to nearly $2,000 AUD. He has published a beautiful limited edition book of his work, called Overview that alone is over $1,200 AUD. And they are all selling like hot cakes.

Watson’s exquisite painting of openly gay former Rugby Union star Ian Roberts was chosen by the National Portrait Gallery. And recently his exquisite paintings of openly gay Olympic gold medal diver Matthew Mitcham and Justice Michael Kirby were also chosen for the significant cultural collection.

However, this latest exhibition is not without controversy. Despite Watson’s history and acclaim as an artist, his application to participate in the 2010 Mardi Gras festival was rejected. It left the artist bemused and upset.

“My work is all about history. And it has always celebrated history, and it documents some of our most visible and significant community heroes and icons. My work fits in so perfectly with Mardi Gras’ theme this year, and it’s a strong and relevant exhibition… I just don’t know how or why it would be rejected. I can’t help but think that the reason the application was rejected is personal,” Watson said.

According to the artist, he received a email from a New Mardi Gras representative saying that due to the high standard and number of applications, his submission was not accepted. There was also apparently a reference to ‘giving new artists a go’.

“I totally understand and support that. But I’ve got my own gallery space in Sydney, and I’m not actually taking away from another artist. I’m just being included in the program. It is a bit insulting that someone as established as myself, that does have work that fits the brief so perfectly, and who has the reputation to back up the quality of the work, would be rejected in this instance. I dare say I won’t be involved with Mardi Gras in future… at least not how I feel now…”

Luckily, the rejection from Mardi Gras 2010 program hasn’t discouraged Ross Watson from exhibiting his latest work in Sydney. The exhibition is called Classic De Novo II and is an extension of themes he explored last year, blending the works of classical master painters with modern day heroes and beauty.

One of the exhibition highlights is a wonderful painting of Matthew Mitcham, one of the largest Watson has done.

“I’ve explored a few themes in my work over the years, but with this exhibition I’m returning back to focusing more closely on the heroes in our community. Matthew Mitcham and Justice Michael Kirby are both inspiring individuals, and it was an honour and a privilege to paint them.”

Watson contacted Mitcham before his Olympic win, inviting him to pose for a painting, though the painting itself wasn’t completed till after he’d brought home gold. Watson took reference photos which he used for the paintings, which also feature in the exhibition, and despite them being photographs, they convey many of the feelings of paintings.

Laughing, the artist talked about his conversations with openly gay former high court judge Michael Kirby. When Watson asked him to pose, Kirby responded with, “If you want me in one of your paintings, I think you’ve come 20 years too late.”

Kirby is clearly a fan and supporter of Watson’s work. When Kirby found out that Mardi Gras rejected Watson’s exhibition from the program, he offered to open his Sydney show, lending his name and community weight behind the new work.

Also featuring in this exhibition is super hot tattooed Kylie dancer Marco De Silva, who features in both paintings and photography. There are additional sexy masculine men featured in paintings, that aren’t famous. Add all that up, and it is yet another impressive list of models to feature in Ross Watson’s work. So how does he find them, and how does he choose who he will feature in a painting?

“I have a wish list. Every now and then I’ll encounter someone who captures my attention and interest. Sometimes they are someone I come across in daily life, at an exhibition opening perhaps… and at other times it is someone I learn of through the media or news. I’m lucky that I not only get to meet and work with people I like and admire, but I get to give them something back too, and to the community.”

Check out our Ross Watson’s Manday gallery here.

Ross Watson’s latest exhibition, Classic De Novo II, is now showing at the Depot Gallery, Waterloo, Feb 23 – Mar 6.