General News
2 November, 2023
New exhibition takes form at goldfields gallery
Local artist Tiffany Titshall’s latest exhibition, aptly named Echo in the Hollow, explores one of the most prominent landscape sights — trees, particularly those which have been long-dead and the stories they can tell. It’s an exhibition...
Local artist Tiffany Titshall’s latest exhibition, aptly named Echo in the Hollow, explores one of the most prominent landscape sights — trees, particularly those which have been long-dead and the stories they can tell.
It’s an exhibition comprising 11 of Ms Titshall’s recent works and will be officially launched at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery this weekend.
Living on Dja Dja Wurrung country, Ms Titshall’s exhibition is inspired by the biyal (the Dja Dja Wurrung word for River Red Gum) and ties in with her other works in charcoal on paper — capturing everything from isolated arid landscapes and lush follies to darker, more overt images of animals, humans and devils.
Ms Titshall said for this exhibition however, she focussed more on capturing the portraits of trees as distinguished from landscapes.
“After finishing a collaborative ceramic drawing show last year, I had been working a lot with the local landscape and a lot of that was based around the Tullaroop Reservoir,” she said.
“When I kept going I was working on these drowned trees in the water.
“I had also been changing my process, I used to mainly work in very dark charcoal and I still do, but I was experimenting with washes and doing things in a little bit more of a surrealist way.
“I’d finished a couple of pieces when I was asked to put together the exhibit in July so it’s been a busy few months.”
For Ms Titshall, studying trees has always been a captivating part of the process.
“I’ve always obsessed over big old trees that look like creatures with their limbs,” she said.
“I really love the ghost trees at the Tullaroop Res, I see them toppling as it floods and I see them disappearing.”
The exhibition’s main artwork, This Tree Lives, is Ms Titshall’s largest work to date and took several weeks to complete.
She said it’s a contrast to the other works making up the exhibition, looking at a live tree as opposed to those which died long ago.
“For this show I went back to willow charcoal which is the natural charcoal you get when you burn wood and because it’s natural, it actually looks a lot more like the wood of the trees when you use it,” she said.
“I wanted this particular piece to be in contrast to the other works which are all blue, hence why this one has a smattering of yellow.
“Normally my works take about a week when you think of the steps involved, but this one took a few weeks to put together and a lot of standing back, walking away and coming back.
“It’s the largest drawing I’ve ever done, I’m excited about it.”
Central Goldfields Shire mayor Grace La Vella said it meant a lot to both local people and visitors to the shire to see what local artists can achieve.
“Many of these works remind us of sights we ourselves have seen, experienced and pondered in our own experiences of our surrounding landscapes,” she said.
“It’s showing an artistic impression of our local country to everyone who visits our beautiful gallery.
“It’s also very encouraging for young people who come in from local schools, showing them the depth and inspiration that might be just outside their own door.”
Echo in the Hollow will be officially opened this Sunday, November 5 at 2 pm and will remain on display at Central Goldfields Art Gallery until February 4, 2024.
The gallery is located at 1 Neill Street, Maryborough and is open from 10 am until 4 pm Thursday to Sunday, with free entry.