Tim Storrier A.M.

Artist's Biography

Tim Storrier is one of Australia’s foremost contemporary painters in oil and acrylic.  He is also a sculptor and a printmaker.

Tim Storrier was born in Sydney, New South Wales on 13 February, 1949. He and his sister, Prue were the only children born of the marriage of his father Austin (a stock dealer and grazier) ad his mother Nancy (née Webb) Storrier. Tim’s stepbrother Ned (the son of Nancy Webb and her first husband John
Scott, who was killed in Borneo during the Second World War), also lived with the family in Telegraph Road, Pymble.

In 1953, when Tim was four years old, his family moved from Sydney to the family property “Umagarlee”, near Wellington in rural New South Wales. From 1959 to 1966 Tim attended Sydney Church of England Grammar School and began formal art studies under the tutelage of the art master, Ross Doig. Storrier’s artistic talent emerged early and in 1962 during his schooling years, Storrier won First and Second Prize at the Wellington Pastoral, Agricultural & Horticultural Society Annual Exhibition and Best Drawing in the 16 and under category. In 1964, Storrier’s family moved back to Sydney and settled in Rose Bay. Tim’s father Austin also acquired a property “Mount Hope” at Coolah in New South Wales.

In 1967, Tim Storrier began Graphic Design studies at the National Art School in Sydney, which he left in 1969 to take on a position as a graphic artist in television for the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). He won the Sakura Colour Products Prize the same year.  The following year in 1968, Tim Storrier won the prestigious Sulman Prize, awarded by the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Since 1969, Tim Storrier has held numerous solo shows throughout Australia in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide as well as in London and the United States of America. Notable exhibitions include those at the Penrith Regional Gallery in 1985 and the  Art Gallery of New South Wales in 1986.

In the early 1970’s Storrier’s horizons broadened with his work as a freelance graphic artist. In 1971 he designed large backdrops for Peter Sculthorpe’s adaptation of Bach’s “Bradenburg Concerto No. 4” performed by the Australian Ballet as part of the Canberra Arts Festival.  In 1972 Storrier worked for six months as Artist-in-Residence at Owen Tooth Memorial Cottage in Vence, France, under the aegis of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. During this time he traveled in the Untied States, Europe and the Middle East.

On his return to Australia, Storrier undertook a study tour of Central Australia in 1973 with photographers Grant Mudford and Wesley Stacey, particularly concentrating  on Uluru (Ayers Rock).

In 1974, Storrier designed sets for the movie “Stone” and acquired the Waverton Gas Works studio in Sydney.  On December 4 of that year his mother, Nancy died. The following year Storrier married his first wife, Sharyn White on 20 August at the Wayside Chapel in Sydney. During that year he also participated at Expo ’74 in Washington, USA.

Storrier continued to explore Australia’s interior with a expedition to Lake Eyre in 1976 with the artist John Olsen, naturalist Vincent Serventy and Stuart Purves, the director of Australian Galleries, Melbourne.

In 1977 he traveled to the West Coast of the United States of America and also welcomed to the world his first son, Benjamin on 25 May.  Storrier then purchased a home in Lavender Street, Lavender Bay in Sydney and relinquished his Waverton Gas Works studio to establish a new studio in the lower ground floor of Lavender Street. In 1978, Storrier won the RM Ansett Hamilton Art Awards.

In 1982, Storrier’s second son Luke was born on 14 October and Storrier also acquired a studio in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney. The following year he continued his travels within Australian, visiting Kakadu with Richard Tipping, Frank Hodgkinson and Colin Jack Hinton.  In 1983, Storrier participated in the Australian Bicentennial Show in London with Fischer Fine Art. Other shows at Fischer Fine Art were to follow in 1988 and 1990.

In May 1984, Storrier traveled to Egypt under the patronage of Sir Garrick Agnew OBE, to complete a commissioned series of paintings and drawings. The same year he won, for the second time, the prestigious Sulman Prize.

In 1987 a book on his life and work was published, “Point to Point: The Art of Tim Storrier” by Linda Van Nunen. In 1989, Tim Storrier was appointed a Trustee of the Art Gallery of New South Wales and was a trustee for three terms until 1998. In 1990, Storrier married his second wife, Jane Reid on 10 May in London at the Marylebone Registry Office.

In 1993, Storrier undertook an extensive tour of China. In 1994, he was awarded an AM for his services to Australian contemporary art in the Australia Day Honours. In 1995 Storrier moved from Sydney to Bathurst in New South Wales. The next year, his third son George was born on 3 July. Storrier explored more of Australia in 1996 with artist John Olsen and art critic Giles Auty, visiting Moree, Longreach, Uluru, Coober Pedy, William Creek Hotel, Lake Eyre and Broken Hill. Storrier continued overseas travels in 1997, when he visited Nemrud Dagi in Turkey.

In 2000, a second book on Storrier’s art was published, “Tim Storrier: The Art of the Outsider” by Catharine Lumby. 2001 saw Storrier visit Mexico to witness “The Day of the Dead” festival as well as traveling again to William Creek and Lake Ayre with, among others, John Olsen, Rodney Pople and Robert Jacks. 2003 saw the publication of “Lines of Fire: Works on Paper by Tim Storrier” by Ashley Crawford.

That same year, Storrier was also awarded a Doctor of Arts by Charles Sturt University, New South Wales. He also traveled to Africa, visiting Kenya and Tanzania and many major national parks.

In 2004, Storrier married his third wife Janet Marshall on 9 October at St Mark’s Church, Darling Point and they currently live in Bathurst, New South Wales.

Works by Tim Storrier remain highly sought after and collectable and his prestigious paintings are represented in the collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales and in many private and corporate collections in Australia and overseas.