Replenishment at Sea (RAS) Approach, HMAS Supply, Hobart and Sydney
Geoff sketches a scene and then refines his composition before painting. This ensures the structure of the ships are technically accurate.
In the above painting the beautiful blending of colours in the sky and the movement of the water as the ships approach is due to Geoff using the wet-on-wet technique of watercolour which allows colours to bleed and blend organically. This technique enhances the emotional depth and atmospheric realism of his painting.
- About Geoff Anthony
Geoff is currently serving in the Royal Australian Navy as a Marine Technician/Senior Hull Maintainer. He has always painted and is a watercolour artist and member of the Australian Society of Marine Artists.
He has served on HMAS Melbourne, HMAS Hobart and HMAS Brisbane.
Geoff is mainly self-taught but in 1997 he attended weekend classes at Julian Ashton’s in Sydney and during that time spent twelve months sketching and painting around the City of Sydney. which led to two solo exhibitions in Newtown and a shared exhibition in Enmore in 1998.
Geoff sketches a scene and then refines his composition before painting. His sketches help capture the structure of ships and harbour scenes with technical precision. Geoff said “I’ve been painting and drawing since longer than I remember. It’s one of those things I’ve always done.” Painting has helped to keep him level-headed and grounded.
Geoff primarily works in watercolour, a medium he chose for its difficulty and expressive potential. He uses wet-on-wet technique which involves applying wet paint onto a wet surface, allowing colours to bleed and blend organically. Ideal for depicting stormy skies, ocean spray, and fluid movement in water scenes. The wet-on-wet technique enhances the emotional depth and atmospheric realism of his paintings.
His time in the Royal Australian Navy deeply influences his subject matter. Paintings often feature naval vessels like HMAS Choules, HMAS Melbourne, HMAS Hobart and others. These works reflect both technical accuracy and emotional connection to life at sea.
Geoff has exhibited widely, including having had three of his artworks displayed in the 2023 Adelaide Fringe Festival, Defending the Arts. His work has gained recognition for its authenticity and emotional depth.
Some works are commissioned by fellow sailors to commemorate ships they served on. His paintings serve as visual memoirs, preserving naval history and personal stories.
- About Ships and aircraft in company
In this section a wide variety of artworks with more than one ship, submarine or aircraft are featured. When two or more naval vessels are operating together they are said to be ‘in company’.
The diverse nature of activities, exercises and deployments undertaken by ships, submarines and aircraft of the Royal Australian Navy means that a ship may spend long periods conducting single ship operations or periodically join with large numbers of other ships for such events as a naval review or fleet entry to a port. These latter events are generally scheduled to commemorate a particular event. During such events a prominent or royal figure will review the fleet as part of the ceremony. Throughout its history ships of the RAN have participated in major fleet entries and reviews both in Australian waters and overseas.
Details of Ships in the First Fleet
Name Class Commission Dates HMAS Australia Indefatigable Class 21 Jun 1913 – 12 Dec 1921 HMAS Melbourne Town Class Light Cruiser 18 Jan 1913 – 23 Apr 1928 HMAS Sydney Town Class Light Cruiser 26 Jun 1913 – 8 May 1928 HMAS Encounter Challenger Class Light Cruiser 1 Jul 1912 – 1 Jan 1923 HMAS Warrego River Class 1 Jun 1912 – 22 Jul 1919 HMAS Parramatta River Class 10 Sep 1910 – 22 Jul 1919 HMAS Yarra River Class 10 Sep 1910 – 30 Sep 1929
More reading
- Additional resources for Geoff Anthony
- Additional resources for Ships and aircraft in company
MV KRAIT and Japanese Destroyer in 1943
Troop Convoy and Escort and Hudson Bomber
N Class Destroyers off Libya
Sydney Harbour looking east to Garden Island from Dawes Point
Second Convoy that left Albany, Western Australia on the 31st December 1914
RAN tribute to Anzac dead Dardanelles 12th November 1918
Proud Entry
HMAS Arunta HMAS Westralia with US Navy Light Cruser
HMA Ships MORESBY and ATTACK post 1967
HMA ships LABUAN and FREMANTLE with OBERON submarine
HMAS VAMPIRE, MELBOURNE and PARRAMATTA
Howzat Good Catch Sea Fury RAN
HMAT Barambah 1919
HMAS Adelaide (I) and HMAS Darwin (IV) at the base HMAS Stirling, WA, prior to departure for the Gulf 22.08.90
First Australian Fleet-unit 1914
First Fleet Entry 1913
Bombing of Naval Convoy, Mediterranean, 1942
A Gallant Failure Attack on Scharnhorst 1940
