Carrolup child artists

02/02/2023
Down to Drink by Parnell Dempster, pastel on paper, 58.6 x 76.4cm, 1949. The Herbert Mayer Collection of Carrolup Artwork, John Curtin Gallery, Curtin University.
Author: David Clark on 02/02/2023
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Mrs Florence Rutter Makes a Promise

In yesterday’s blog post, I described the first two days of the visit of Florence Rutter and Vera Hack to Carrolup Native Settlement. Mrs Rutter’s words show clearly how highly she thought of the boys of Carrolup! ‘During the three days we spent at Carrolup we were able […]
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01/02/2023
Parnell Dempster working on his first oil painting under the tuition of Mrs Rutter. Photographer: Vera Hack, January 1950. Noel & Lily White Collection.
Author: David Clark on 01/02/2023
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73rd Year Anniversary of a Special Visit

Seventy-three years ago yesterday, 71-year old Englishwoman Mrs Florence Rutter and her friend Vera Hack arrived for a two and a half day visit of Carrolup Native Settlement. This visit was not only special in its own right, but it triggered a series of important events that still resonate […]
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19/05/2022
Author: John Stanton on 19/05/2022
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Marribank Cultural Centre

I recently came across these old photos of the displays we did at the Marribank Cultural Centre, Carrolup. The Cultural Centre was, as I have already blogged, funded with a grant from the Australian Bicentennial Authority, something many First Nations peoples wouldn’t have a bar of. But the […]
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18/04/2022
Author: John Stanton on 18/04/2022
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Opening of New Gallery at Balingup

I have recently returned from attending the Opening of a new Gallery at Balingup. It was curated by Wadandi-Pibulmun Elder and Stolen Generations survivor, artist Sandra Hill, with the support of family and friends. The long-term exhibition is presented in the Packing Shed on the main road of […]
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05/12/2021
Hunters by Revel Cooper, pastel on paper, 29 x 38cm, c.1948. Stan, Melvie and Gael Phillips Collection, 1947 – 65, Berndt Museum of Anthropology. [WU7304]
Author: David Clark on 05/12/2021
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John Stanton Interview, Part 2

In a previous blog post, I linked to three film clips from the interview I did on the 6th of October 2017 with my colleague John Stanton about the Aboriginal child artists of Carrolup. Here are three more film clips from this interview, all which are on The Carrolup […]
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14/10/2021
Landscape by Parnell Dempster, pastel on paper, 29 x 37cm, c.1948. Stan, Melvie and Gael Phillips Collection, Berndt Museum of Anthropology. [WU7303]
Author: David Clark on 14/10/2021
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John Stanton Interview, Part 1

Here are three film clips from the interview I did with John Stanton about the Aboriginal child artists of Carrolup on the 6th of October 2017. Why the Carrolup Story is so Important: Teacher Noel White created a different atmosphere at Carrolup so that the Aboriginal children, who […]
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13/09/2021
Author: David Clark on 13/09/2021
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Carrolup Child Artists Make History

Some of you may remember that I gave a talk at the Royal Western Australian Historical Society on 11 September 2020. I was also asked to write an article for Early Days, the Annual Journal of the Society. Last month, John Stanton and I attended the Launch of […]
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18/05/2021
Article by school headmaster John Stokes, The West Australian , 24th February 1951. Noel & Lily White Collection.
Author: David Clark on 18/05/2021
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Achievements of Carrolup Artists

Here is part of a chapter from my book Connection: Aboriginal Child Artists Captivate Europe which focuses on a newspaper article written by John Stokes after Carrolup Native Settlement school had been closed. “In Perth, John Stokes, the teacher and headmaster who has done so much to promote the […]
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22/04/2021
Author: The Carrolup Story on 22/04/2021
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‘Aboriginal Children Show Amazing Skill in Art’: Max Praed

In an earlier blog, Early Public Acclaim, I described briefly how the Aboriginal child artists of Carrolup gained public attention in Western Australia. A major factor in this development was the acceptance by editor John Stokes of three articles by Carrolup children (Reynold Hart, Dulcie Penny and Vera Wallam) […]
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24/03/2021
The boys of Carrolup marching for Mrs Rutter and Mrs Hack. Photograph taken by Vera Hack, January 1950.
Author: David Clark on 24/03/2021
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Our Journey: Cliff Ryder’s Family, Part 2

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 […]
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15/09/2020
Author: David Clark on 15/09/2020
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My Carrolup Talk in Perth

On Friday, 11th September 2020, I gave a talk entitled Connection: Aboriginal Child Artists Captivate Europe at the Royal Western Australian Historical Society in Perth. This talk was originally to be given in May, but had to be postponed due to Covid-19. I had been looking forward to […]
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05/05/2020
Author: David Clark on 05/05/2020
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Book Launch, June 23rd 2020

The book I’ve been writing in association with John Stanton, Connection: Aboriginal Child Artists Captivate Europe, has finally been finished. It will be published as an eBook and iBook from June 23rd, just seven weeks away today. We’ve chosen that date for the launch, as it is the […]
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17/09/2019
Some of the Carrolup young artists. Front row: Reynold Hart (Far Left), Parnell Dempster (Middle) and Revel Cooper (Far Right). Back row, 2nd Left: Barry Loo. Do you know who the other boys are?
Author: John Stanton on 17/09/2019
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The Child Artists Assert Themselves Through Their Art

Too often, adults in many societies tend to view ‘children’ as ‘immature’, naïve’ or ‘child-like’. The Carrolup children’s drawings demonstrate an entirely different side to what it is to be a ‘child’. For not only were they part of the Stolen Generation, taken away from their parents, and […]
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15/08/2019
Author: David Clark on 15/08/2019
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‘We Are Going To Tell That Story’

I’ve been thinking about my good friend Noelene White, daughter of Carrolup school teacher Noel White, today. It’s hard to believe that I’ve known Noelene for over three years now. Where has that time gone? As for John, he has known Noelene for nearly 35 years! Noelene White […]
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06/08/2019
Landscape by Parnell Dempster, pastel on paper, 29 x 37cm, c.1948. Stan, Melvie and Gael Phillips Collection, Berndt Museum of Anthropology. [WU7303]
Author: David Clark on 06/08/2019
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Carrolup Child Artists: Competition and Encouragement

Soon after we started our Carrolup project, I interviewed my colleague John Stanton about a variety of elements of the story. In this film clip, John describes how the boys were rather secretive whilst doing their drawings. However, once they had finished a drawing, there was a collegial […]
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23/07/2019
Parnell Dempster's Down to Drink adorns a wall at the 45th Annual Exhibition of the Pastel Society in London, 1951. Mrs Rutter proudly discusses the drawing with Mr and Mrs Richter. Mary Durack Miller Collection, J. S. Battye Library of West Australian History, 1951.
Author: David Clark on 23/07/2019
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Thinking About the Carrolup Boys: Noel White

In my last blog posting, I talked briefly about how teacher Noel White helped the children of Carrolup overcome their fear and inspired them to create beautiful landscape drawings that gained public acclaim in South West Australia. During 1949 and 1950, 71-year old Englishwoman exhibited the art in […]
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10/04/2019
A pastel drawing, 28.5 x 22cm, by Keith Indich from one of his government-issued schoolbooks. The Myrtle K Benn Collection, 1947.
Author: David Clark on 10/04/2019
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Our Visit to Kojonup, March 2019

On 21st March 2019, John Stanton and I, along with my close friend Mike Scott, travelled down to  Kojonup to meet local farmer and long-term shire councillor John Benn at The Kodja Place. Mike and I, along with filmmaker friend Phil Strachan, had first met John two years ago […]
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