Another Scalliwag? A Gun-Toting Outlaw? No, He's a Bone Fide Beverley Hillbilly!

One of my art heroes is local legend, Shane Moad. Apart from being one of the nicest human beings I have ever met, ( and I actually mean that adjective sincerely), Shane is an outstanding talent and we are lucky enough to call him our friend.

Shane and the Child Bride, Val,  live in their renovated cottage just up the road from the Beverley Hospital and adjacent to the railway line. Shane has a converted shed as his studio. From this setting, he produces stunning paintings of the Australian outback and America's South West. He has been quietly, and with absolutely no fanfare, following his passion for twenty-five years. His paintings are in collections all over the world.

He and Val have two adult children, now living in the Big Smoke. They are also amongst the nicest people I've ever met. Ethan is married, has worked in the local shire, graphic design and is now studying a Bachelor of Commerce. I doubt highly that he will become a boring git... Becky is ploughing her way through her teaching degree, impressing with her work ethic and attention to detail. She will a fabulous addition to the teaching fraternity. She is not quite engaged to a lovely bloke who is the brother of Ethan's wife. Talk about keeping it in the family.

Father and son have both had dramatic shifts in career following horrendous vehicle accidents. Shane was taken off his motorbike in the early 1990s. He had worked in a variety of professions and had to rethink his whole future with a wife and two young children. Ethan was involved in a collision on a treacherous piece of road in the Perth hills. Like his Dad, Ethan has had to upskill and change his employment focus.

Shane lives with continual pain. His goal is to keep moving - walking or bicycle riding - and be in his studio for some part of the day. This is sometimes easier said than done. As far as he's concerned, he starts again each and every morning.

Their cottage previously had the dubious honour of being the centre of Beverley's Red Light District. His neighbour, relieved that the house had been sold, then received the shock of his life when he met Shane for the first time. Our quiet and unassuming artist is bald, missing a few teeth and displays a selection of tattoos, including one that proudly announces "Hillbilly". He also favours hats, to keep his head protected, jeans, flannies, boots and carries his set of jangling keys on his hip. Sheriff Wyatt Earp or Wild Bill Hickock?!

And now, Shane has been discovered by the Big End of Town. His exhibition opens at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Perth this evening. Through considerable begging, we have scored a room at the hotel for a slightly lesser rate. So, we will be attending Shane's launch. I just hope our bed is not in a back hallway!

Beverley Hillbillies rock!