Mr Martin Tighe celebrates lost railway lines

When St Bernard’s College art teacher Martin Tighe isn’t nurturing a love of art with students he’s documenting abandoned railway lines.

Martin’s work will be featured in an exhibition, Lines, at Fitzroy’s iconic Black Cat Gallery from Thursday, December 1 to December 11.

Martin, who joined St Bernard’s in Essendon at the start of 2022, has spent a year painting the abandoned railway lines and the landscape surrounding them.

“I’ve walked many miles along these lines … I started walking the lines in about June, 2021,” he said.

“On my many journeys I’ve observed how nature reclaims them in its own time and in its own way.”

While the exhibition focuses on Tasmania’s Derwent Valley and Ida Bay lines there are some works depicting lost lines in Central Victoria’s Maryborough and Castlemaine.

Martin has built a career capturing stories important to Australia’s culture and identity.

His work has looked at subjects from Ronald Ryan – the last man hanged in Victoria; Tom Wills – a pioneer of Australian rules football; Simpson’s Donkey and Picnic at Hanging Rock, landscapes and portraiture.

Martin employs a range of media such oils, acrylics and bronze, found objects such as scoreboard numbers, timber off-cuts and flat iron gathered from wheat farms have also been used.

Martin believes in fostering an appreciation of art and ideas within the community.

“I love teaching and being able to introduce students to art and nurture their love for it,” he said.

Since 2001 he has exhibited regularly in both individual and group exhibitions, as part of his commitment to the cultural significance of the creative process.

Martin is a regular entrant and a one-time finalist in the Archibald Prize and for many years he helped organise the Australian Rules Football art exhibition. His subjects have included James Hird, Shane Warne, author Gideon Haigh,

Lines.

Recent paintings by Martin Tighe

BlackCat Gallery, 420 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 3065 from December 1 to 11.

Open Wed to Sun 11am to 5pm. FREE.

www.blackcatgallery.com.au

www.martintighe.com.au/