TIM TAVARIA

Key figure in the Australian tattoo scene, artist Tim Tavaria has put down the needle and picked up a camera to showcase his incredible ability to capture flora and fauna in its most natural being.

Growing up in Geelong, Tavaria has always had a strong attachment with nature and the beauty it possesses. This is clearly evident in his Neo Traditional style of tattooing as his subject matter is often stylised animals surrounded by naturalistic elements. Having been tattooing this style for many years, Tavaria has developed an impeccable eye for compositions of wildlife and how these compositions can be used to express a certain meaning or feeling. This skill is very prevalent in his show Horizons, where he has picked up a lens and captured incredible ornithological moments in time which gives the truest sense of tranquillity. Ornithology has always been a subset of nature that Tavaria is extremely enthralled by, so roughly a year ago when he picked up a camera it was only natural that birds became his subject matter.

With no team, special equipment or plans of any kind, Tavaria would wander through nature trails searching for what he describes as “Gifts from nature” which he believes can only be captured at the right place at the right time. Unlike painting or the tattoos he creates, his photographs are not stylised, rather they are split seconds in time, capturing the most incredible details and positioning of his subject matter.

Enjoying the fact that he has ‘No control over the experience’, Tavaria has been able to capture wild birds in almost what appears to be a stylised manner even though the shots are completely candid. He has been able to achieve this stylised illusion through his innate ability that he has nurtured through years of tattooing, which is the ability to spot the perfect composition as a means to express a specific emotion to his audience.

Having always been a creative individual, we at Compendium Gallery are very thrilled to exhibit Tim Tavaria’s incredible artistic skills in a new medium.