Tommy Carroll / Lansdowne (16565)

Tommy was born in 1956 at Doon Doon Station in the East Kimberley and worked as a stockman for many years. His knowledge of the country in which he worked is extensive and the pivotal focus of his paintings.

He is a natural – his style is strong, individual, balanced, striking. It is obvious that he has never followed in anyone’s footsteps – his works are most definitely by Tommy Carroll. The paintings flow with the landscape – from minimal yet precise black and white to vibrant reds and bright yellow to the softer black/brown/green of his grandfather, Paddy Carroll’s country.

He has participated in Solo and Group Exhibitions throughout Australia – his paintings have been acquired by important collectors, the National Gallery of Australia and the Parliament House Collection. Tommy’s works are popular world-wide, as many collectors from America, Germany and Holland have discovered and collected and continue to commission works by this now well established artist.

A man of few words, a focused, professional artist – minimal by style, not by market preference.

Selected Solo & Group Exhibitions

2019
• Gija Artists | Celebrating Warmun At 21, Nancy Sever Gallery, Canberra, ACT

2018
• Warmun At Twenty, Nancy Sever Gallery, Canberra, ACT

2014
• Warmun Aboriginal Art – Art Images Gallery, Adelaide, SA

2012
• Mabel Juli & Tommy Carroll, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi

2009
• Ochre: A Study in Materiality, Short Street Gallery, Broome

2008
• East of East Kimberley, ReDot Gallery, Singapore

2007
• Ralph Pucci International Gallery, New York (in association with Cross Cultural Art Exchange, Darwin)
• Greetings From Turkey Creek, Mary Place Gallery, Sydney
• “From the ground up: Ochre work from the Kimberley”, Chapman Gallery, Canberra

2006
• Gentlemen of Warmun, Seva Frangos Art, Perth
• East Kimberley Artworks, Japingka Gallery , Perth
• Warmun Art Centre Presents, Mary Place Gallery, Sydney

2004
• Mabel Juli & Tommy Carroll, Kaliman Gallery, Sydney

2003
• Solo Show, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne
• Recent Works by Warmun Artists, Framed Gallery, Darwin

2002
• Solo Show, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne
• Flinders University Art Museum, Adelaide
• Colleen Carter, Tommy Carroll and Katie Cox, Span Gallery, Flinders Lane, Melbourne
• Collectors Show – in association with Seva Frangos, Span Gallery, Flinders St, Melbourne

2000
• Ben Grady Gallery, Canberra

Selected Collections
• Australian National Gallery, Canberra
• Parliament House Collection, Canberra
• Artbank, Sydney
• Broadmeadows Health Service Collection, Victoria

I have worked as a stockman on many stations – all rough country – but nothing like Lansdowne. The station is to the south west of Turkey Creek. Some of it now, and right on the river, is an Aboriginal Community called Whataguttabe, part of the station land. Around the homestead and in the Eastern part, there is very good grazing flatland and the river running all year round right through. But that top country – hardest country I have seen. The hills are high and stand out for miles. Huge caves and boulders everywhere. I remember pretty well mustering up there – I have painted the country in hot time, just before the rain, with no grass coming up yet, just all the country looking red and black.