Former Narrandera resident now painter Tim Snowdon (pictured) has had a fulfilling life as a talented painter, dipping his brush in many different genres over time: still life, landscape, contemporary, traditional, portraiture – and of course houses.
He doesn’t paint pictures of houses, he paints houses. Literally. And it was this skill as a tradie that brought him to this point in his career to become an acclaimed artist.
Tim studied art in Canberra and Sydney before travelling to Paris, London and New York to further his skills.
The connections started in Bungendore, where he lived with his family for about 20 years. From those early days, he was the bloke to go to if your house needed painting or decorating. So, back in 2015 when photographers Susan Foxlee and Sam Cooper were looking for a spot to set up a home business, fate saw them buy the block next to Tim. And of course Tim was the bloke who painted their house – and they became friends.
Today, that property is the Suki and Hugh Gallery, a small boutique gallery in the main street of the village which has developed a reputation for innovative exhibitions, regularly showcasing the best of regional artists and creatives from around the country. It’s also the place where more than 20 pieces of Tim’s work went on exhibition.
Conversations refers to the way Tim’s paintings of inanimate objects “speak to” each other in still life compositions and how they can appear to take on life of their own.
Best known for his still life oil paintings, Tim said he loved a challenge, often using items ranging from pieces of fruit to crockery, draped fabric to glass bottles to tell a story in his artistic arrangements.
Tim grew up in Narrandera and was always keen to return to rural life.
His latest exhibition, the second at the gallery in two years, features new work as well as older pieces, from the more traditional artwork he is known for to the nudes.
“Rubens did it,” Tim said. “Getting across in your work the humanity of the model. Even though you don’t know the person, you try to get across that they are a person.
“If you look at the Mona Lisa, she was a person but what is it about her that is so enigmatic? It’s just part of her charm.”
Pleased with how his nudes came out, Tim said he was keen to include them in his latest exhibition.
“When you work with life models, part of the process can be to try to analyse the body, like you would with a portrait. It’s quite a meditative process. Everyone gets so absorbed in what they’re doing. I love it … and hopefully you can produce something people can enjoy.”
But Tim says he knows that few artists can make a decent living from their passion.
Yes, he’s a painter, but he also likes to tell people that, chances are, he’s the only licensed painter they’re likely to know. No, he doesn’t paint pictures of houses, but, when asked, he paints actual houses.
One of his favourite works, he says, is a house out in the bush near Braidwood which he was commissioned to paint, at the owner’s request, a very hot pink.
“It wasn’t even my idea,” he said, “that’s what the owner wanted, and it looks amazing. It’s a struggle to make a living as an artist,” he said, “but I consider myself lucky that I’m also a licensed painter because I really enjoy it.
Known mostly as a still life painter, Tim has twice been a finalist in the Moran Prize for portraiture. He trained in Canberra and Sydney before spending decades refining his skills in Australia and overseas.
His work is held in collections in Australia, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom.
Pearl & Journey, an exhibition by Tim Snowdon has opened at Suki & Hugh Gallery, Bungendore, and runs until October20 2024. An online catalogue is available on the Suki & Hugh website.
This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 26 September 2024.