Exhibition urges visitors to channel their inner Litherland

A NEW interactive exhibition at the RACV ArtHouse is paying homage to renowned Creswick artist Victor Litherland.

My Creswick Sketchbook opened in late March and will run until 1 June at the RACV Goldfields Resort, Creswick.

It has attracted keen interest, with visitors and locals urged to create their own artistic interpretations of the historic town for inclusion in the exhibition.

Born in Russia to English parents in 1897, Litherland migrated to Australia in 1926 before settling in Creswick in 1932, where he remained until his death in 1978.

He initially trained as a carpenter and cabinetmaker, and not only made most of his furniture and clothes but also his painting equipment.

Self-taught, he used books sourced from the Sydney Public Library in 1943 to teach himself to paint.

Litherland, whose works are held in the collections of the Art Gallery of Ballarat and the National Gallery of Victoria, was well known for setting up his easel on the streets of Creswick five days a week.

His rigorous schedule saw him painting in oils on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and in watercolours on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, always from 10am to 2.30pm, with Fridays reserved for shopping and Sundays for rest.

RACV head of visual arts Mardi Nowak said the interactive exhibition encouraged participants to follow Litherland’s example of dedicated practice, with art materials provided and guidance offered for those new to sketching.

“Visitors to the exhibition will be encouraged to complete partial sketches of Creswick landscapes and streetscapes, either adding their work to a growing community mural, or taking their creations home to start their own Creswick sketchbooks,” Ms Nowak said.

People interested in learning more about Victor Litherland can also visit the Creswick Museum, open on Saturdays, which houses a collection of his works.