The Tin Heads is an ever-growing collection of 10,000 tins owned by retirees Margaret and Robert Gaston. The couple display the tins in a large shed on their farm in Waggrakine, a suburb on the outskirts of Geraldton in Western Australia’s Midwest region. It is an impartial collection that accepts all tins, excepting only double ups.
With the consent of the Margaret and Robert, I have reproduced selected tins with thick oil paint, taking great care to document not only the tin’s packaging, but the metal’s wear, dents and overall patina. The paintings collectively create an indirect and unconventional portrait of Margaret and Robert, and it is my hope that the works portray an authentic sense of kitsch, care and community in regional Australia.