Here is the article the Mercury published.

 
Artist unveils Archibald Prize contender


EMMA SWAIN

01 Dec, 2010 08:09 AM

At the rear of Betty Linton’s home, in a room adorned with porcelain dolls and surrounded with intricate tapestries, a masterpiece is underway.

Although still in its infancy, Sue Linton’s painting of her mother and OAM recipient is taking shape.

In time, the blue-hued work will make its way to judging for the 2011 Archibald Prize.

But at the moment there’s much to do and Ms Linton is grappling with what her subject will think.

“I don’t know if mum’s going to like it,” Ms Linton, of Quorrobolong, said.

“They say that painting someone you know is more difficult than painting strangers and I think that’s true.”

In her role as an artist Ms Linton, 50, has painted everything from much-loved pets to luscious landscapes and, more publicly, one of the large-scale murals of the Kurri Kurri district.

But painting her mother, well, that’s a different story.

“There are certain aspects of mum that I want to come out in the painting. To someone else mum might come across as a hard person, but to me she is a soft, old-fashioned person and I want that to come out in the portrait.”

For her part Mrs Linton, 80, of Wangi Wangi, said she will be honest but kind in her appraisal of the painting.

“I will have to make allowance for the fact that she is my child, and I’ll have to be as kind as possible but I will be honest,” she said.

“However, I’ll be 81 very soon so I’m just lucky that I’m still alive to be a part of this.”

Follow Ms Linton’s progress at http://suelintonartist.blogspot.c om/