29. TIM STORRIER

Edmund Capon remarks upon the inexplicably Australian sense which Tim Storriers paintings evoke, the strong sense of place which is contained within the vocabulary of his paintings, they could not, I believe, have come from any country other than Australia.¹ The sense of space, low horizons and vast skies: few artists convey the sense of experience more poignantly than Storrier.

Storriers burning object paintings, and specifically the burning logs, had their genesis in the Australian outback where the artist often travelled to study the light and colour of the landscape. It was a simple idea that came to him whilst on an outback trip - a blazing line of fire set against an opalescent sky which was to shape the direction of his work for the next decade.

Evening Embers and Flowers is an example of the beautifully composed and executed pictures which Storrier has become so well known for. The artists pink clouds which stretch across the dusk sky cleverly emphasise the scale of the canvas and bring a tranquil atmosphere to the composition. Red-hot glowing embers juxtaposed against the delicate pink flowers create a visually spectacular picture that embodies his technical skills and affinity with the unique Australian landscape.

Storrier is a distinguished representative of le juste milieu the kind of artist who occupies the middle ground between tradition and innovation, with ambience as the ultimate goal.³ John McDonalds observation of Tim Storriers position with the Australian art world highlights the fact that the artist has successfully travelled along the middle course, flourishing whilst straying further from the explicitly conceptual and political concerns of his contemporaries. Storrier has always stated his suspicions of contemporary art writers and critics and been open about his socially and culturally conservative standing. Im not concerned about the debate about what a painting is. I know what a painting is - Im not interested in redefining what art objects are - Im not interested in that at all.⁴

Storriers flamboyant character, the urban dandy/gallant explorer/country squire, has been calculated by the artist to irritate the literal minded and po-faced that exist on the periphery of his career. This inclination is born of the artists position as something of an artistic outsider to his time. Originally a figurative painter, Storriers career has flourished in almost direct opposition to the predominant art movements of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. It is the artists strength of conviction which has seen his artistic career triumph and flourish he is one of the most secretive and enigmatic artists working in Australia today, a man of unpredictable intentions and directions, and one of the most original.⁵

Footnotes

1. Capon, E., cited in Lumby, C. Tim Storrier: The Art of the Outsider, Craftsman House, Sydney, 2000, p.8

2. McDonald, J., The Sydney Morning Herald, 31 January 1986

3. Lumby, C. and Crawford, A., Lightweight or Heavyweight? Tim Storriers Challenge, Tension, 24, 1990, p.17.

4. Tim Storrier cited in Lumby, C. Tim Storrier: The Art of the Outsider, Craftsman House, Sydney, 2000, p.45

5. Olsen, J., Lumby, C. Tim Storrier: The Art of the Outsider, Craftsman House, Sydney, 2000, p.9

 

Caroline Jones BA, BA, MArtAdmin