Freddie Timms Australia (Aboriginal), c1944-2017
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About Freddie Timms
Freddie Timms was an Aboriginal artist from the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. He was born in 1944 in the Bedford Downs Station, which was a cattle station where many Aboriginal people were forcibly relocated to during the early 20th century. Timms' parents were Gija people, and he grew up on the station before being taken away from his family and sent to a mission school in the nearby town of Wyndham. After leaving school, Timms worked as a stockman and later became involved in the establishment of the Warmun Art Centre in the 1990s. He began painting in his late 40s and quickly gained recognition for his unique style and use of color. His paintings often depicted the stories and traditions of the Gija people, as well as the impact of colonization and the loss of traditional lands. One of Timms' most famous works is a large canvas titled "Barramundi Scales". The painting depicts the barramundi fish, which is an important food source for the Gija people, and is created using a distinctive dot painting style. The painting was acquired by the National Gallery of Australia and has been featured in several exhibitions. Timms' art has been exhibited widely in Australia and overseas, including in the United States, Europe, and Asia. His work has been praised for its powerful imagery and the way it captures the resilience and spirit of the Gija people. Timms passed away in 2017, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most influential Aboriginal artists of his generation.
The total number of works by Freddie Timms offered for sale by auction since 1995 is 299, of which 212 (71%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $66,000 for My Country sold by Lawson~Menzies (now trading as Menzies) in November 2006. This year 5 works have been offered for sale. Works by Freddie Timms are held by the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of NSW and a further three major public national galleries (see list below).
Freddie Timms is listed in the following standard biographical references:
- McCulloch, Alan McCulloch, Susan McCulloch, Emily McCulloch-Childs. The New McCulloch's Encyclopedia of Australian Art. 4th Edition, Aus Art Melbourne & The Miegunyah Press, 2006. Page 154
- Australian Prints + Printmaking, a database listing printmaking artists from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region based on the print collection of the National Gallery of Australia.
- Freddie Timms is classified as one of the top Australian Indigenous artists by leading Aboriginal fine art gallery, Cooee Gallery, Sydney.
Artists' Resale Royalty
Could the second and subsequent works by this artist sold after June 9, 2010 for over $1,000 be liable for the Artists' Resale Royalty? More info…
Yes, eligible, subject to the artist satisfying the residency test. The artist is alive or has been deceased for less than 70 years. Contact the Copyright Agency for information on the residency test.
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