The themes:

• The parallels between a country-born child finding his way into the modern world and colonial Australia attempting to do the same.

• Finding one’s identity beyond the influence of forebears and the pressures of modern life.

• The Australian art scene and the hurdles encountered trying to become an Australian artist.

The story: A working class English family arrive in Australia on Christmas Day, 1852, not by choice but because of a hometown catastrophe of historical significance. The story begins with these first arrivals - the author’s own forebears. Hollingworth contemplates the lifestyle of these early selectors on the West Coast of Victoria and subsequently the generations of his family that lead him towards contemporary art 150 years later.

Although it is the author’s own story about his personal journey towards Australian art and culture, it is Australia’s story too as it encounters the modern world and begins to recognize such things as Aboriginal Rights, issues of environment and its own cultural possibilities.

Interspersed throughout is another story about intimate aspects of the art industry that many never see. He tells of the problems associated with art competitions, careerism, galleries and art critics, and living in “a post-modern world where art can be inspired by a cornflakes packet and living trees are displayed in a museum”.

Read an extract

Nature Boy is available at various inner-city Melbourne bookstores or ONLINE or order here. rrp $25.00 + pp