Legacy of late Tina Rimmer lives on through TaLaC

 

Participants doing woodcut and printing with Pangrok Sulap artists at Tamparuli Living Art Centre near here. - Pic by Olivia Miwil.

TUARAN: The legacy of Tina Rimmer lives on with the establishment of the Tamparuli Living Art Centre (TaLAC), here.

Rimmer came to North Borneo in 1949 as the British government's first woman education officer and later found her passion in arts.

She produced almost 1,000 paintings that were mostly drawings of people including the scenes of the weekly Wednesday market or tamu in Tamparuli and the patients at a palliative care centre in Kota Kinabalu.

In 2017, to recognise her significant contributions to the arts, the Sabah government had posthumously conferred the Sabah Cultural Icon to Rimmer who is the first person to receive the honour in the state.

TaLAC's former caretaker resident Herman Duang, 45, said Timmer had given the land where she lived as a culture and resource centre for the living and creative arts.

The centre located near Tamparuli town, which is formally registered in 2012, has two wooden buildings, a garden of endemic plants and local fruit trees.

"This is a platform for collaboration among independent artists and musicians, a place for newly graduated arts students, as well as giving art exposure for the community through activities.

"As independent artists, we want to share our knowledge and skill with the community, including among locals in Tamparuli," said the artist with 20 years of experience in airbrush painting when met yesterday for a two-day Tamparuli Music & Arts jam 2.0 at the centre.

Airbrush artist Herman Duang teaching public on basic drawing and airbrushing at Tamparuli Living Art Centre near here. -Pic by Olivia Miwil.

Herman said during the event, he conducted a drawing and airbrushing workshop, Saidina Dee for batik painting and Pangrok Sulap for woodcutting.

There was also open music, an acting interview with independent filmmaker Marc Abas and movie screening.

He added through such activities, the public will be more aware of TaLAC's existence and nurture local talents to go far to the international level.

Herman is also optimistic that TaLAC can be promoted as one of tourism products in the district as previously artists from other countries had stayed at the premises for arts and community service purposes.

"This centre is actually well known among artists. In fact, TaLAC is supported by the Sabah Art Gallery and National Art Gallery.

"Next year, there will be more promotion of this place especially after Rimmer's gallery is completed."