Sit Down with Thomas Avery

Over the last decade, we’ve had the immense privilege of collaborating with artist Thomas Avery, whose work has played a pivotal role in developing many pieces for our First Nations Collection. Our relationship has culminated in community favourites such as Mayan, Woologangii and Meeting Place, as well as various one-off artworks. 

In honour of NAIDOC week, we sat down with the man behind the art to discuss his creative processes, inspirations, current projects and the long-standing relationship held with us here at Corban & Blair. We would like to say thank you to Thomas for sitting down with us, and for his injection of wit and humour into the conversation!

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your journey as an artist? 

My name’s Thomas Avery, of course. Descendant from the Gamilaroi tribe in northern NSW. But I’m a Sydneysider, born in Redfern. I should support South Sydney but I don’t, I follow St. George – who have yet to win a match. 

What first inspired you to pursue art, design and filmmaking?  

Ah my brother. He’s a very good artist – he’s a sketch artist, which I am not. These things here [refers to new paintings he’s brought in], which I’ve done, I do them on graph paper. [My brother] One little square at a time, he [used to] cut them out and made a template and traced around it. But I can’t do it, I can paint though. 

What do you hope people feel or learn when they engage with your work? 

I do things a little bit different, obviously that’s an ocean picture story [gesture’s to painting] so I try to reflect the ocean in the painting, with the colours, the sand and the silt- all of that. There’s the swirls in the ocean. I’m hoping people can see it, but I think if they just like the painting that’s always good [Laughs]. I still remember the first one I sold, years ago. That was quite a thrill. 

What has been your favourite art piece so far?  

Oh. Favourite art piece? Oh boy. I don’t think I’ve got an actual favourite. I’ve got a lyrebird [artwork], which I like looking at. That one when you walk in [to Corban and Blair] with those three water birds – I quite like that one too. It’s a simple painting. So those two I reckon. 

Can you walk us through your process from concept to finished artwork?

I try to think of something I want to paint. These three here [gesture’s to paintings], they sell so I do them again. Essentially the concept has been decided a while ago. I’ve used similar concepts in all of them, just with different animals on them- some I’ll leave on and some I’ll leave off. I don’t often do frogs, but there’s one there. A little bit different in all of them, but it’s original paintings so therefore they have to be different, they are different.

What project has challenged you the most? 

Well I make films. The film I’m making at the moment, there’s only four roles in it, and I play two but I wear a mask so I can get away with it – that’s challenging. Hopefully this year I’ll have finished it. But artwork, I find that pretty easy. There’s nothing too complicated. It’s not as if I’m Monet. 

What was challenging about the film that you’re making?

Well getting the concept is easy, writing the script is easy- I’ve actually won a few festivals overseas for script writing. I do the editing so that’s pretty easy. But getting people together, that’s the hardest bit. People are volunteering, so mainly for the feature films [it’s harder]. For short films it’s quite easy. In feature films, filming can go over a few weeks.  

Can you give us any information about the projects you’re working on? 

Yeah. I don’t necessarily concentrate on Aboriginal subjects. I’m doing one up in Noosa, during the September school holidays and that will take a week. The title of that is “Once Upon a Time a Caveman Walked Into a Queer Bar”- it’s an irreverent comedy. I love that sort of stuff- it upsets people. 

Are there any other projects you’re working on, or is it just the films? 

Just the films lately. I am writing a series, 4 one hour long episodes, which is quite a bit of writing. That keeps me busy. 

How has it been working with Corban & Blair? 

They’re good to work with. I give them paintings and say “pay me what you’ve got” [Laughs]. We’ve been collaborating for some years now.