Todd humbled

Ararat-based sculptor and artist Geoff Todd added to an impressive list of personal accolades when he was recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia on Saturday for his service to the visual arts.

During a decades-long career, Mr Todd has exhibited his works across Australia and in other countries, including Indonesia, Hong Kong, France and England.

Last week he presented one of his paintings to Darwin City Council, to be hung in the public reception area of Darwin Town Hall.

He has authored books, lectured at universities, had numerous works commissioned both privately and publicly and won awards for his art, but he said an AM was unlike anything he had ever received.

“Why this has happened to me, I believe, is that people have followed my working career and listened to my arguments about ‘what is art?’ and why art is important in society, as well as appreciating my work and accepting many of the social messages exposed in my imagery,” he said.

“I cannot stress enough that I am humbled and very pleased that there are people out there who believe, through what I have done, I deserve this honour and took time and energy to present my case.”

Mr Todd said he was excited when art took him to new places.

“My current project is a collaboration with a human rights lawyer and poet from Sydney,” he said.

“He is putting together a large anthology of poetry with 50 of my images that don’t necessarily illustrate his poems, but are what he calls ‘visual analogies’.

“I respond to his art and then he responds to mine and luckily we are bits of soul mates.

“My work has taken me and my family around the world and this latest book might be launched in Israel as well as Australia, which could mean an exhibition there.”

Mr Todd said he still loved to create artwork and wanted to keep working for as long as he could.

“Often I am asked, ‘which is your favourite painting you have done?’after all these years I am still saying ‘the one I am working on right now’,” he said.