tania hartigan
CREATIVE PRACTICE
Paper Maker, Lino Printing, Landscapes, Portraits.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Tania Hartigan is a woman of the land with great knowledge of bush foods and owner of ‘The Artshack’ at Wallabadah, a paradise with deep history in its soils. She grew up in Woolbrook and belongs to the Gamilaraay people with family ties connecting her to Barraba, Quirindi and Gunnedah in the New England North West. Tania grew up surrounded by family and strong role models, with grandparents who always put family first, aunties and uncles that contributed her growth and cultural knowledge.
Those same priorities of a tight knit family have been instilled in Tania, she started her family tree as a young girl and has been adding to it ever since.
“I love organising family reunions, I am moved to inspire my kids, nieces and nephews to keep their family close,” she said.
Tania uses these bonds as inspiration, capturing family portraits in pastels. Amongst her other inspirations, she describes herself as being earthy, connected to country and all it’s whispers of history and life. ‘The Artshack’, Tania’s farm, is her happy place,
“It feels like equal part luck and fate that I ended up here. The terrane the country the trees the ruggedness of the land felt instantly like home.”
Tania loves to be immersed in the landscape, around the gum trees and native plants and lively nature. While on a walk around her property, she discovered evidence of sacred sites that is evidence Gomeroi people have travelled through and lived there for thousands of years. Tania says,
“We all look, but we don’t see. Art has taught me to slow down and take in the little details that slip past you when life is at full pace.”
Tania loves working across the board with mediums, painting is her go to and getting lost in the tones and hues. She also has a talented hand for portraits, print making and weaving.
BIO
2021
5 Friends Exhibition, Sold 3 paintings + 2 Commissions, ArtShack@Wilgabah
2018, 2020
Sunflower Exhibition, Raise Funds for Fire brigade Quirindi
2007 - 2014
Art & All That Jazz Exhibition, First Place -Portrait Wallabadah
2015
Kootiganal Art Exhibition, First Place Oil/Acrylic, Kootingal
2016
Colours of Autumn, First Place Print making, Bendemeer
2010 -2015
Currububula Art Show, Sale of paintings Currububula
2010 - 2018
Frost Over Barraba, Art sales Barraba