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November 30, 2005
I only managed to catch a quick glimpse of the exhibition of the art works by the indigenous partists from the East Kimberleys. I had time to located them, walk around the exhibition, before I had to move onto the vital issues seminar on health reform chaired by Carmen Lawrence in the Parliamentary Library.
I did notice the name of Freddie Timmsfrom the East Kimberly region:
Freddie Timms, Moonlight Springs, 2001, Ochre on Canvas
Freddie Timms was born at Foal Creek on Bedford Downs Station south west of Warmun (Warrmarn - Turkey Creek). He knew Rover Thomas when they both worked at Bow River and Texas Downs and danced and help paint boards for early performances of Thomas's Gurirr-Gurirr. He paints in a style reminiscent of Thomas but recognisably his own, with expanses of plain paint lined with white dots.
Freddie Timms, My Country, Ochres on linen
Many of his pictures are like aerial maps of the bones of the country where he lived and worked all his life. Mapping is on a topographic level showing features of the landscape such as black soil, red ground, sandy ground, hills, creeks and water holes as well as a historical and spiritual level showing roads, stock yards, homesteads and dreaming places. Much of the country where he worked is now under the water of Lake Argyle formed by the damming of the Ord River. He says:
"I think about the country where I was walking and camping, all the main water holes, all the camping areas. I remember the places where I used to go mustering and I follow them up with my painting."
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