ROVER THOMAS (JOOLAMA)

Painted in 1991
The Texas Down Collection, Mary Macha, Perth

Porta Oberta al Dreamtime: Art Aborigen Contemporani d'Austràlia, 1971–2003, Fundació Caixa de Geirona, Geirona, Spain, 24 September - 14 November, 2005, and Fundació Caixa de Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain, 20 November 2005 - 9 January 2006

Planella, G. (Ed.), Porta Oberta al Dreamtime: Art Aborigen Contemporani d'Austràlia, 1971–2003, Fundació Caixa de Geirona, Geirona, Spain, 2004, pp.40-1, illus

The painting is in very good and stable condition with a number of small losses to the yellow pigmented dots at the edges and some minor scuffing to the surface
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This painting is sold with a CD recording of an interview with Mary Macha and Rover Thomas, transcribed by Kim Akerman. Rover discribes events as they happened behind the hill depicted in this painting. Events in which Rover was involved during his days as a stockman:

See that little red mark -
That's the motor road, close to the hill.
This is the country, that's the country now -
near Kilfoyle Hill - on Kilfoyle Station.
Big stock camp in behind that way
Where that road going up 'long big cliff
side river.

That side.
When we mustering, bullock hide 'emself there.
Long that corner there. You know.
Wild cattle used to be - hide 'emself there.
Only helicopter can pull them out.
Bring them in the open
Bring them in an open place. You know.
I had to pull 'em out from big rock there.
Big cliff this side. You know.

Sometime we came this way -
'em bullock go in big cliff, that corner now.
Can't go another way.
Oh. A long way down further up.
The red part now.
Used to be motor road going up that way.
Yard this side, big stock yard.
They call him Kilfoyle yard.
They call him Kilfoyle yard.

That big mountain, that red part.
Big hill that one there.
Can't go round this way, that side.
We got to go this way.
Only when helicopter comes -
push them out from this cliff.
Sometimes stand up in one place, in that big

corner. You know.
Helicopter, sometime he come round this way -
pushes 'em out from that cliff.
Hunt 'em out from that cliff
Hunt 'em out bush, long bit of open country.
Them can't go out that way - big cliff there.
Don't push 'em down from that road. You know.
Got a grader, bulldozer everything getting up
that hill there.
Got a big stock camp where that road going up.