Melbourne artist Julie Wilde paints Yandoit's Duncan McKinnon for Archibald Prize

The humble hut, which is without creature comforts such as electricity, sits on a 400-hectare property known as Old Nuggetty farm and has been inhabited by the same family for the past five generations.  

Built in the 1840s, Mr McKinnon lives alone in the ageing hut, accompanied only by his ginger cat Chestee. 

While Mr Mckinnon’s friendly face is synonymous within the Yandoit community, it may soon be familiar to many more people thanks to a painting by Melbourne artist Julie Wilde.  

Ms Wilde, who was first introduced to Mr McKinnon in early 2016 by his neighbours, said she could see the potential in his face from the moment they met.

“I just love the character and the intensity in the way he looks, you just feel there’s something there you will be able to capture,” Ms Wilde said.   “The face looked like someone who had worked the land, the lines and the weathering showed the lifestyle and the eyes really say everything. 

“I’ve done commission work before which isn’t the same where you’re just working off a photo, because there’s more to art than art itself, you have to feel the character.” 

Ms Wilde will now send the work to Sydney to be judged as part of the 2017 Archibald Prize, which is the country’s premier portrait art award.  

Mr McKinnon, who first saw the finished work in October, described the painting as “pretty realistic”, and said he hoped it would come away with an award.  

While part of the hut has begun to fall down and Mr McKinnon has been restricted to the front rooms of the quaint property, the historic property which boasts a large open fire still provides the regular meeting place for Mr McKinnon’s mates to come over for a cuppa.

And despite the lack of power, Mr McKinnon says he couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

“I don’t need electricity, I still keep up with the news by listening to the wireless.”