FOR Coffs Harbour artist John Thiering, work can be tough – especially when it involves travelling the world on cruise ships and performing to packed audiences.
“I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember,” he said.
After studying art in Sydney and holding his first solo exhibition in 1987, John eventually made his way to the Mid North Coast, settling in Coffs Harbour in 2014 after raising his family in Kempsey.
These days, his signature art form is sand animation, which he discovered in 2010.
Using only his hands, John creates intricate images in sand on a lightbox, filmed live and projected onto a big screen with music.
His 45-minute shows weave multiple images together to tell a story, often in front of audiences of up to 1,000 people.
A friend’s suggestion in 2017 saw him try his luck with cruise ship entertainment.
Within a week of sending off a showreel, he had his first contract.
Since then, he’s travelled extensively, with one early highlight a trip along the Italian coast to Barcelona, his first taste of Europe.
Next up, John will head from Japan to Alaska for his latest cruise.
When he’s not performing at sea, John keeps busy creating new work and taking on commissions, including recent pieces for the Northern Territory Tourism Brolga Awards and an international aeronautical event in Sydney.
He also collaborates with other creatives, including local animator Adam Hinshaw (Sandimation) and Gumbaynggirr artist Brentyn Lugnan, with their Dreamtime story “Giidanyba” now on display at Yarilla Arts and Museum.
And when he’s not living the cruise life, John works casually as a teacher, which, he admits, is nowhere near as “cruisey”.
By Kate PYE
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