Monday 7 December 2009

National Art Show : East Sydney Tech: stroll down memory lane

Through these doors passed many poor souls into Sydney First Goal. Designed by Frances Greenaway, the first sandstone blocks were hoisted by prisoners between 1822-1824. By 1912 Long Bay Gaol was ready for occupancy, Darlinghurst Gaol was vacated to become a Technical College ... read more HERE






When my maternal grandfather Roy returned from France and WWI, he met and married Rene. By 1921 was employed as the 'timekeeper' just inside these doors. My Mum was his pride and joy ...






Roy rubbed shoulders with the "those arty types". Parties were held in their small Bondi flat and Roy took courses and created the beautiful blue vase and bowl ... both initialed and dated.





Roy became friends with renowned sculptor / teacher Rayner Hoff. Hoff sculpted the figures in the War Memorial in Sydney's Hyde Park and designed the lion symbol for Holden ... as well ... Hoff sculpted this bust of my Mum when she was four years old ... thought to have been during his Faeries and Nymph era ...






Seventy plus years on yours truly worked there ... 'twas unhappiest working time of my life. Unaccountability and rorting reigned supreme ... the inmates had returned ... after two years I was over it.






On the weekend the National Art School, as the complex is now known, held their annual degree art sale. We returned, recalled, meandered, took pics, sat, pondered, listened to the spirits lurking, bought art ...





...  I took photo's of trees  and smiled at how times have changed ...


... Bliss




1 Comments:

Dina Roberts said...

I love the sculpture of your mom...it's so awesome that you have that.

Reading about the gaol...we didn't go inside, but I DO think we walked past it. I remember seeing an art school. I think we passed it as we were heading to the Jewish museum. Maybe?

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