Blog
07/04/2021
In a previous blog, I described how the Carrolup children’s art was exhibited in the ‘Crystal Section’ of Boans, the largest department store in Perth, from October 21 to October 24, 1947, thanks to the initiative of teacher John Stokes. The exhibition of over 400 Carrolup drawings was opened by Western […]
31/03/2021
In a previous blog, I highlighted the pivotal role that teacher Noel White played in the development of the art of the Aboriginal children of Carrolup Native Settlement. We know from a letter written by School Inspector Sammy Crabbe to Dr Kenneth Stewart Cunningham, Director of the Australian […]
25/03/2021
Here is the last part of a series of blog posts that is based on a chapter about the Ryder family from my book Connection: Aboriginal Child Artists Captivate Europe. You can find the first part here and the second part here. ‘I must tell you about the trip that […]
24/03/2021
My last blog was the first of a series that is based on a chapter about the Ryder family from my book Connection: Aboriginal Child Artists Captivate Europe. These are the words of Charon Ryder, oldest of the Ryder siblings: ‘I want to talk to you about how I got […]
23/03/2021
Some of you will know that John and I have developed a strong relationship with the children of the Carrolup child artist Cliff Ryder. In September 2019, we spent a lovely day with the family at the Moore River Settlement and Goomalling, finishing with an emotional gathering at […]
16/03/2021
After my talk at The Royal Western Australian Historical Society talk in September 2020, I was asked if I would give a talk to the King Edward Memorial Hospital Alumni early in 2021. I gave the talk on 21st January and thoroughly enjoyed the occasion. There was an […]
10/03/2021
In previous blogs, I described how Mrs Olive Elliot became the teacher at Carrolup Native Settlement at the end of January 1945, after a long period when the Aboriginal children received no education. She eventually decided that the children needed the firm hand of a male teacher, so […]
03/03/2021
Teacher Noel White [left side, just behind children in the above photograph] played a pivotal role in the development of the Carrolup children’s art, as described by John Stanton in the film clip below. Noel first connected with the children and helped them overcome their fear. He provided […]
22/02/2021
My partner Linda and I, along with John Stanton, spent a lovely Sunday afternoon/early evening aboard P.S. Decoy, a Western Australian sea-going paddle steamer that works the Swan River. We were there to listen to local band ‘Dilip ‘n the Davs’, who performed a heart-warming Twilight Tribute to American […]
15/02/2021
In my last blog, I revealed that the first exhibition of the Carrolup children’s art organised in Europe by Mrs Florence Rutter took place in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands in June 1950. I described how Florence kept a book of letters and comments from people who attended her Carrolup […]
11/02/2021
I was really pleased to find a message on one of my Facebook posts from Ange Edenburg, a great-granddaughter of Mrs Florence Rutter. Ange, who lives in Bridgetown, and I have been communicating since then. Ange’s grandmother Margaret Edenburg was one of Florence’s daughters. Margaret and her family […]
03/02/2021
Last year on the 2nd February, I published the last of a series of six blog posts on Mrs Florence Rutter’s two visits to Carrolup and her trip around Australia and New Zealand where she promoted the Carrolup children’s drawings. If you have not already read those blog […]
12/01/2021
Yesterday, I posted the first part of the Preface to my book Connection: Aboriginal Child Artists Captivate Europe, which told the story of how I came to be involved with Carrolup. Here is the continuation of the Preface, which describes my background and how it has influenced my decision […]
11/01/2021
Here is what I wrote in the Preface of Connection: Aboriginal Child Artists Captivate Europe about how I came to be involved with Carrolup. ‘When filmmaker and close friend Michael (Mike) Liu and I were first shown work of the Carrolup artists Revel Cooper, Parnell Dempster and Reynold Hart […]
05/01/2021
Happy New Year to you all. I wish you all well for 2021. My apologies that I have not posted a blog on The Carrolup Story for a while. I have been busy writing another book—on addiction recovery stories—and then needed a break. I’ll be posting more regularly […]
08/12/2020
John and I visited Casuarina Prison, the main maximum security prison for males in Perth, on Friday, 13th November to give a talk about the Carrolup child artists and see the art class in operation. We greatly enjoyed our visit, which lasted just short of four hours. We […]
12/11/2020
I only realised this week that I had forgotten to post a blog about the talks that John Stanton, Ezzard Flowers and I gave about the Carrolup child artists at The Kodja Place in Kojonup on the 8th of October 2020. We had been invited to give the […]
11/11/2020
In April 2017, I visited John Stanton’s good friend Gaye Sculthorpe at The British Museum. Gaye is Curator and Section Head of Oceania in the Museum. Gaye had arranged to show me a collection of seven drawings done by the Aboriginal child artists of Carrolup. These drawings would […]