Max Middleton - Landscapes Most of Max's paintings have been of the Australian landscape based upon small oil sketches he painted on location. As a plein air painter, he faithfully renders what he sees. His profoundly keen observation results from the excitement he feels when he watches the transforming effect of light on the world. It is light that informs all his work and landscape has inspired most of his major paintings. Often small sketches were painted under extremely difficult circumstances. The harsh realities of 5am starts on frosty autumn mornings in central Victoria, hands stiff and numb with the cold, and eyes strained from hours of staring into the rising sun, never held Max back from doing what he loves most: painting outdoors. Unfortunately, health restraints now prohibit him from doing that.