Patrick W. Butcher Jnr
Brief Biography
Patrick W Butcher Jnr was born in January 1977 and comes from the Umpila language group. He was part of the early group of artists in the mid 1990’s that formed the Lockhart River Art Gang. Whilst developing his artistic skills, Patrick joined the Australian Army Reserves. He exited the Army after a period to concentrate on his arts as a full-time artist resident in Lockhart River.
Patrick’s works are a contemporary take on a range of subjects which he pre-thinks before starting his works. His work is a combination of links to his strong cultural traditions, land, sea and language heritage. Patrick paints with his left and right hands, He does not use brushes do works. He is the only current artist within the Lockhart River Art Gang that uses his hands to paint.
Patrick paints with acrylic on canvas and linen. Patrick has done batik and lino-printing works using cross hatching techniques. He has also done small scale beginners pottery works.
Since 1997 to early 2018, Patrick Butcher has had his works exhibited in Lockhart River Group exhibitions in Hobart Tasmania, Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin and Houston Texas USA.
From 3 June 2018 to 28 October 2018, Patrick’s works will be exhibited in a permanent collection at Foundation Burkhardt-Felder et Culture Musee de l’art aboriegene australien “La grange” in Switzerland. The exhibition in Switzerland will include paintings from other Lockhart River artists, Silas Hobson, Irene Namok, Rosella Namok and Fiona Omeenyo and is titled “Islands in the sea”.
Artist Statement:
“In my spare time I like to go fishing. When its high tide I like to go spear fishing for stingrays and the many species of fish I come across, and diving amongst the rocks off shore. Usually I like to make spear and find the elders and have a yarn with them about bush tucker and all that”. - Patrick W. Butcher Jnr
Collections: Queensland Art Gallery, Wollongong University Collection, National Gallery of Victoria; Foundation Burkhardt-Felder et Culture Musee de l’art aboriegene australien “La grange” in Switzerland.
