Bicycle Bob

Edward Trost has over 45 years' experience in the arts. In his portraiture, Trost uses a common pyrographic technique to render his subject as a collection of scorched tones. He selects subjects who have faced mental health challenges with inner strength and resilience. By highlighting recognisable people actively working through depression, or advocating on behalf of the community, he hopes his art will help to correct misconceptions about these illnesses.

Trost has been an exhibition finalist in the Wyndham Art Prize, the Clayton Utz Portrait Prize twice, the Bluethumb Portrait Prize, the Hurford Hardwood Portraiture Prize, the Sunshine Coast Art Prize and the Brisbane Portrait Prize. He was the winner and people’s choice recipient at Expressions Exhibition in Brisbane.

Check out Edward's website.

Bob loves riding bicycles; not for the Lycra, but to release anxiety. This is a portrait of Bob mid-stride - I wanted to capture him in action rather than a ‘normal’ portrait. Bob has a mental health issue and, like most people, didn’t know what to do. He needed a challenge to focus on. As he was a teacher and good at riding, he thought, ‘Why not ride around Australia?’ Really! Bob rode all the way, stopping often to teach school kids about depression.