“I will take a painting to heaven so my mother will recognise me.”
– Timothy Cook

Timothy has been creating paintings, prints and carvings at Jilamara since 1999, his art is very personal to him; he likes the ‘old designs’ which he learnt from his elders. He especially likes dots (pwanga) as elements of his designs; dots are his ‘favourite special’ due to the fact that ochre dots are applied to his face for ceremonies. The dots are applied by his bunji – a kinship relationship term which means mate, or in-law.

Timothy expresses himself through his loose, gestural, spacious designs. He paints exclusively with natural ochres, composing his paintings with pure instinct and without hesitation.

His artworks are highly sort after for major collections both nationally and internationally. In 2012, he won the Major Award at the Telstra NATSIAA.

In the last few years Timothy has focused on painting the Kulama. The Kulama ceremony is a traditional initiation for young men which coincides with the harvest of wild yam, and is performed in the late wet season (March-April) when a ring appears around the moon. Elders of both sexes sing and dance for three days, welcoming the boys into adulthood. The boy is then renamed with his true man’s name.

The circles in his work symbolize the moon, yam and ritual circles of the Kulama ceremony, curators and art critics suggest the “cross” may reflect his spiritual life, his connection with the Catholic religion. 

Timothy also paints expansive canvases depicting Japarra the moon man.

In 2018 Timothy’s work was selected for the inaugural King and Wood Mallesons Contemporary ATSI Art Prize.