Timothy Preston
Arcadian Folly
Paintings

Exhibition: 16 August to 2 September 2006

The Arcadian Folly exhibition focuses on the artist’s perception of how painting can be a place of introspection of one’s morality and spiritual integrity. Timothy Preston has developed an art of sensibility whose paintings are rare, precious and deliberately restricted in scope in order to deepen their presence.

The process of Preston’s painting is intuitive and emotionally charged. It involves layering the totality of the canvas with thin over-painting and then finding form patiently and meditatively. His technique creates a sense of a floating atmosphere, full of possibility and optimism in the viewer. This new series of paintings are works which celebrate a strong visual intelligence. Not unlike artists Allan Mitleman and Emily Kngwarreye's work, Preston's intentional use of restricted colors and forms are also powerfully significant to the works resolution.

Reviewing Tim Preston's Mary Place show in 2005, ABC Radio's art critic Henry Mulholland noted Preston's ability to combine the visceral sensation of flesh with robust earth tones to create a metaphysical space evocative of Australia's dense yet sparse interior.

For Preston, these recent paintings are full of possibilities to explore where and in what place the genesis of life may be hidden from the naked eye. There is a depth to the work that seeks to describe in visual terms something of an unseen quality of nature, possibly that which makes us human and what moves us to contemplate mortality.  We are compelled to use our hearts not our minds when viewing the works.

“Art is of the process rather than the state, of the becoming rather then the being”, Preston says. Alun Leach-Jones and Jules Olitski inform his work and are also strong influences.

BIO

Timothy Preston is foremost an artist. A studio based painter, he paints large abstract works that are contemporary and challenging. He is intimately involved with his work and believes that art can save lives. Preston has studied at The National Art School where he completed a Diploma of Fine Arts in 1994 and Certificate of Sculpture in 1996. Preston completed further Tertiary Education studying a Bachelor of Modern Languages and Linguistics at Macquarie University in 1998, where he developed an interest in Philosophy of Aesthetics and the language of Art.

Preston's work was most recently featured in The 54th Blake Prize for Religious Art, Sydney. Timothy is involved within the art industry working in art installation for commercial galleries around Sydney and is continuing his art education with his studio practice and various short courses and workshops. Preston has traveled extensively and lived in Japan. Arcadian Folly is his second Solo Exhibition with GroundFloor Gallery.

View Timothy Preston's CV

GroundFloor Gallery 2006