Tim Draxl gives a different kind of soliloquy
Image: TIm Draxl in his studio. Photo © Johnny Diaz Nicolaidis @johnnyvision
A soliloquy, in theatrical terms, is a solo speech given by an actor. Soliloquy is also the title of Tim Draxl’s third solo art exhibition. The multi-talented Draxl, better known for his acting, singing and dancing, is now making an impression in the art scene. His two previous solo exhibitions, In Between/The Act of Painting and Ten Degrees, completely sold out and there’s no reason to expect this third show won’t follow suit.
Draxl studied visual arts in high school and has pursued painting as a hobby ever since, only fairly recently becoming professional. It was around four years ago that Draxl’s partner encouraged him to rent a studio.
“I think mainly because he was tired of my paints lying around the house,” laughs Draxl, but admits it’s something he himself has always wanted to do. “Having a studio meant that I could be there all day and be creative and kind of let loose.”
He first tested the commercial potential of his artwork when he held a small exhibition in the Minnamurra general store/cafe around three years ago. All the paintings sold. It was very encouraging.
Draxl, of course, still had a thriving theatre career. He had just spent months in rehearsals as the lead in Darlinghurst Theatre’s production of A Chorus Line, due to open in March, 2020. Alas, COVID restrictions saw the show cancelled on opening night. However, Draxl had formed a friendship with Darlo’s publicist, Jansson Antmann, who’s see a photo of one of Draxl’s paintings and was keen to see more.
“I kept putting him off because I really wasn’t confident enough to have anyone come into the studio and critique my work,” says Draxl.
Antmann was persistent and eventually Draxl relented and invited him to the studio. Antmann was impressed; he bought a piece of art off the wall and put Draxl in touch with David Rex-Livingston who owns a gallery in Katoomba. Rex-Livingston, in turn, was also impressed with Draxl’s work and invited him to put on a solo exhibition at the gallery.
“And I jumped out of my skin!” says Draxl. “It’s kind of something that I’d always dreamed about happening, you know, that a gallery owner would see my painting somewhere and say ‘hey you’ve got talent. We should do a solo exhibition.’”
That exhibition, In Between/The Act of Painting, was held at the beginning of 2021, and it was a success.
“They all sold. Every single piece. So that was incredibly exciting…it’s such a weird and wonderful feeling…it’s hard to explain, you know, when somebody else acknowledges something that you’ve produced yourself in that way and wants to own it and hang it in their home.”
Draxl’s second exhibition, Ten Degrees, also at Rex-Livingston Gallery in Katoomba, was held at the end of that same year. Unfortunately, COVID struck again and, though the painting had been hung in the gallery they could only be viewed online. It didn’t hinder sales, however, and again, every painting was bought.
Continuing his alliance with Rex-Livingston Gallery, Draxl is holding his third exhibition there from March 3 this year. He chose the title, Soliloquy, because it ties in with his acting practice and because it speaks his still trying to find his own voice as a painter. Draxl says he also has a constant internal monologue going while he paints.
The paintings themselves were inspired by a trip to Morocco Draxl took with his mother recently.
“Having all this pent up energy from three years of not being able to travel to then kind of like be thrown into the deep end in Morocco – it was just so stimulating on so many levels, culturally and visually.”
The works capture the colours and shapes of Morocco as well as the vibrant atmosphere: ochre, red, amber, dusty pink tones contrasted with the bright blue which was the colour of doors in the desert.
“There’s a lot of memories wrapped up in my paintings.”
Technically, Draxl says, his style is abstract expressionism, though he feels it’s really pure expressionism.
“There’s a free-flowingness to it. It’s more like stream of consciousness to me.”
He cites Spanish surrealist, Joan Miró as one of his favourite artists and a huge influence on his work.
“To me it’s about colour and texture and finding that balance between the two, it’s a mixture of solid colour and more like colour washes, mixed with more solid, structured forms,” Draxl says, explaining his process.
Painting provides a very different creative, emotional and intellectual outlet for Draxl.
“To be in a studio and to paint is wonderful, because it’s unlike any other medium that I’ve worked in, whereby you’re completely independent and reliant on your own sensibilities, your own tastes, your own style…you can do whatever you want.”
That also means there are no guidelines, no prerequisites, no deadlines. So how does he determine when a painting is complete?
“Those are the kind of moments that I kind of hope for – that moment when I’m working on a piece and I can just step back and know instinctively that it’s done.”
