For over a decade, Guy McEwan has volunteered at Sydney’s Wayside Chapel where Reverend Jon Owen – the subject of this portrait – is the pastor and CEO.

‘He inspires and supports a huge range of people by truly being present with them, without judgment or bias,’ says McEwan, a first-time Archibald finalist.

‘The inner circle is Jon’s online newsletter. The title and text of this portrait come from the publication dated 26 September 2024, with additional text from 3 and 10 October 2024.

‘The publishing of epistles has a long tradition. Words are powerful and Jon is revealed through them, figuratively and literally. The text isn’t overly religious. Instead, Jon calls out empty rhetoric and promotes action and acceptance.’

McEwan’s mother was an artist at the Maritime Services Board and an accomplished watercolourist, who taught him technique.

For this painting, he used ‘a range of materials and techniques, combining gothic font, modern vellum, Japanese Gansai watercolours, my mother’s drafting pencils, tiny paintbrushes and modern images to synthesise calligraphy, illumination, portraiture and ASCII art (images or designs using text characters), reflecting the layers of historic and modern messages of hope and unity.’