Mandy Tootell: Territory Blue Exhibition Catalog

About
Mandy Tootell and
Territory Blue
Although primarily a printmaker, Mandy
Tootell combines a love of floral fabrics,
stitching, painting and printmaking
together with a fascination for local
Northern Territory birdlife. To open our
2023 gallery programming, Godinymayin
is pleased to present Territory Blue!
A celebration of the forms,
colours, and presence of
birdlife in the Big Rivers
Region and beyond.
Like many of us, Tootell sees our avian
friends as a magical aspect of life in our
region. Their traits and images have been
informing the artist’s work more and
more—especially since her time as Artist
in Residence at the Territory Wildlife Park
in 2019. More recently Tootell returned to
her role as a high school art teacher—
where she enjoys sharing experimental
printmaking processes with her students.
Territory Blue showcases new work using
processes developed over a number of
years—and the result is magic in itself—
just take a look at the over 50 pictures
and bird images that fill the Godinymayin
gallery. Her free motion stitched birds,
featured throughout Territory Blue, show
movement in their flight feathers—
contrasting with the flowing stitchery
and often bold backdrops. Combining
decorative and expressive elements, each
bird in this exhibition stands out in a
unique and realist way—like friends
visiting us at the Centre and taking flight
around us.