16 AM 1333/03
Leigh Oates Between the Bridges 2003
Acrylic & gouache on canvas 760 x 605mm SOLD
As a young boy, the artist and his brothers would go down to the local creek and catch a feed of fish (trout). They
would fish and play in the creek "between the bridges" as they were told to do so by their parents.
Not having fishing rods didn't stop them catching fish as they had to "tickle" the fish. This is something their
father taught them.
They would walk up the creek and keep an eye out for fish, making sure they knew which rock the fish darted
under. They would then try to get as close as they could to the rock without stepping on it.
Kneeling down, they would put their hand under the rock making sure they worked in the direction of the flowing
creek as the fish usually headed into the current. Starting at the tail, the boys would slowly work their way along
the fish "tickling" it until they could get a firm grip on the gills.
The Painting:
The creek runs through the centre of the painting with all the different shades of rocks and gravel.
The lines leading out from the creek represent the river bank. You can see the wet footprints heading along the
creek and then crossing over.
The platypus is an animal the brothers frequently saw whilst fishing.
The "catch" is surrounded by hands which played an important part in "tickling" the fish.