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Master and apprentice: Tim Storrier and friends introduce art's next generation.
the (sydney) magazine September 2005
Tim Storrier, 56, is a two-time winner of the Sulman Prize and has had more than 20 solo shows. He is represented in state and regional galleries and many significant public collections in Australia, Japan, Britain and the US, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He has houses in Sydney and Bathurst and shows at the Sherman Galleries.
Luke Sciberras, 30, graduated from the National Art School in 1997, and had his first solo show at the ABC Centre, followed by An Uncertain Something at the Tim Olsen Gallery in 2000. He divides his time between studios in Sydney and Hill End, 78 Kilometres from Bathurst. He shows at the Tim Olsen Gallery.
Storrier: “A group of students from the National Art School came up to Hill End [in 1997] and I had a dinner at my house in Bathurst for them. I remember noticing at the time, although I didn’t know anything about his work, that Luke seemed to have a fair grasp of social manners and was quite helpful at the business of conducting a dinner. Simple things like serving drinks and clearing plates, but surprisingly a lot of people don’t know.
“Subsequently he spent quite a bit of time in Hill End and I as instrumental in helping buy a house there. Luke is often in Hill End and I’m in Bathurst, and we both have places in Sydney, and we move in the same ghastly milieu, so we run across each other.
“I’m not particularly comfortable with the word mentor, but I have offered advice is to pass it on. There are two aspects to an artist’s advice. One technical, but the other has to do with ideas about what you’re trying to achieve, the philosophy of what your endeavours are about. And historically, older artists are better at that than younger artists.
“Generally, successful artists are pretty single-minded. They do listen, and you can see influences when they are young, but as a general rule if they are any good they pretty quickly develop a cantankerous attitude to advice, and tend to ignore it, which may not be a bad thing. At that age I was very lucky, and developed a friendship with John Olsen. He was very generous with his remarks and general help.
“Its very hard to mentor or provide to someone whose work is similar to your own. My relationship with John Olsen was allowable because the form of expression was very, very different, and with Luke the same thing applies. The way he structures and composes a picture completely different to the way I go about it. That’s why it works.
“Luke is one of those people with genuine enthusiasm. That sense of ebullience and joie de vivre can be very charming. It’s an asset that he doesn’t have any hesitation using. The key with Luke is to be as rude as you can. That might be the key to the whole thing really.”
Sciberras: “I met Tim at a dinner in Bathurst when I was a student. He was abrasive and vinegary, but over time we got to know each other, and I got to realise that Tim is very sensitive and a romantic charter once you reach the underbelly.
“As artists our work is very different, despite our aligned sensitivities. His approach to draughtsmanship and to the landscape is completely different. We have a friendship, largely based on fun. In terms of our relationship as artists, there’s no danger of encroached territory.
“I remember staying up one night with Tim in his studio and doing some drawings. Tim looked at one of them, and he worked magic on it. He used tissues and rubbers on it and lifted this terrible drawing into something amazing. Then he tossed is into the fire. I said, ‘Hey, Tim!’ and he turned to me and said ‘Luke, I just gave you something.’ I thought that was great. Of course when he was doing it I was also thinking, I’ll keep this and frame it.
“Then there was the time when I was visiting Hill End, looking for a place to buy. I found this little house that I liked, and that my fiancé liked. I made an approach to the buyer and I didn’t have enough money and my offer was turned down.
“Tim found out about it. He rang me and said, ‘Listen, I’ve just heard what’s happened, just ring the woman back and tell her you’ll take the house. Don’t worry about the bank managers or bank loans or solicitors. I’ll look after you. If it’s a matter of money, I’ll make up the difference.’
“I was reeling. I’m speaking to you from this same house today. Tim is an amazing person like that, when he knows something’s right. He is very perceptive and sensitive.”