Ralph Kerle is the cover feature of the October 2026 issue of Sydney Observer, under the cover line "A golden photo for our golden seniors: Abstract photographer Ralph Kerle".
In the feature article From a kayak on the harbour, Jay Houhlias talks with Ralph about the longevity of art and how it can sustain health. The article describes Ralph as a fourth-generation Willoughby resident whose photographic art comes from years of exploring Sydney Harbour by kayak, capturing real abstract images in nature with a focus on water surfaces.
The article covers his path from fine art and the Victorian College of the Arts, to associate director of Sydney Theatre Company, and on to abstract photography. That practice began after a period of depression, through the value he found in physical exercise and time on the water.
"Perhaps one of the secrets of ageing well is simply reminding ourselves that we never have to stop creating."
Six works are featured, each with Ralph's own account of its inspiration:
- Blue Water Dreaming
- Impressions of a Turner Landscape 3
- Red Sky on a Scarlet Night
- On the Way to Bluedom
- Rip's Liquid Surrealism 3
- Sea Dunes
