TOWNSVILLE TREASURES #2

 Bookplate  gems  from   the  Special Collections  section of the  Eddie Koiki Mabo Library , James Cook University, Townsville .

The first Australian bookplate is said to have been commissioned in l892 by flamboyant Sydney solicitor, politician, Catholic activist and avid book  collector , John  Lane  Mullins.  It portrayed  a view of the lawyer's study with a coat of  arms .

He was the first president of  the Australian Ex Libris Society. An ex libris society was formed in London about this time and the Studio magazine ran  bookplate design competitions  .

Interest in bookplates  suffered  as  a  result of World War 1, but resurfaced in the inter-war period  through   linocuts ,  wood engraving  and  etching .

In New Zealand , the highly regarded  bookplate  artist , maker and collector , Hilda Wiseman, lived in a house designed by her architect father  who had designed  many  Auckland   buildings, including  the ferry terminal at the bottom of  Queen  Street.

In 1937 the Sydney Morning Herald  described her  "quaint" studio-once a  working man's hut on an old  mission station-which she had bought and had transported to her home .

Fourteen diamond  glass panels  from a  school built in  1851  were installed to improve the lighting. Two  old chairs of the same vintage  were added as well as an 18th century French jewel case. Entering the studio,with its  hand press, was like stepping  into another world .

There were landscapes  and watercolours,drawings in every medium ,bookplates  finished  and in the making . An ardent collector of bookplates from all over the world , she arranged  the first Kiwi Ex Libris  Exhibition, in Auckland in l936 which included bookplates  for Mussolini, Lenin, Captain Cook and Australian  pioneer aviator  Kingsford  Smith who made the first Australia - NZ flight . 

A member of the  active Ex Libris Society ,John Gibson, of Sydney, commissioned  Miss Wiseman to do a plate for his collection of New Zealand books  Wiseman was in contact with Australian graphic artist,collector and connoisseur  and authority on Australian bookplates , Percy Neville Barnett (1881-l953).

He  wrote, designed  and privately published  more than 20 limited edition books (some in the Edna Shaw Collection at  JCU) and dedicated his life  to advancing the tradition of bookplates.  Barnett donated part  of  his collection  to the Auckland Museum and  Miss Wiseman endowed  the Auckland  Public  Library  with  her  work . 

Of partular interest is the  above  l932  bookplate designed for a former  North Queensland  Anglican  Bishop, John Oliver Feetham (1873-l947), described as an eccentric who liked to sleep on the floor rather than in a bed , drove an early Ford  car called  Ermintrude . His ashes were interred  underneath  the high altar at St. James' Cathedral, Townsville . Artist N.T. Hope  included  palms  trees, a kangaroo , a cathedral , a saling boat ,  a  bishop's mitre and  an armorial  shield in the  design. 

CHINA OUTSMARTS TRUMP , SLAPS BIG TARIFF ON SMELLY YANK EXPORTS

TAIPING  (Cafe )  : China  has  today  opened  up  a  trade war  with   Donald  Trump .

As  from  the  next  Chinese  New  Year , after  the busy   Boxing  Day  sales, all   American  made  incense  shipped  to  China  in   fleets   of    nuclear-powered   aircraft   carriers  , built  at   the  Adelaide  shipyards , will   attract  a   50  percent  tariff  increase .

This  includes  the  top  American  Wild Berry  brand  of  incense ,  above, on  sale  in  Australia , photographed  below  in  Townsville,  on a  large  revolving  stand  offering  a  staggering   variety  of   aromatic   forms, including   Arabian  Nights , which  sounds  exotic , not  part of  the American Dream , despite there  being  a much  bigger  stand  in  the  foyers  of Trump Towers  in  Istanbul  and   New  York. 

A Chinese government spokesman, Mr Wong, of Hong Kong, who also moonlights as an Aussie bank teller  , aggressively said President elect and Hell-bent  Trump  can stick  the inferior western made  incense up his nosril-and anywhere  else  that  causes  a cry  to  the  gods  for  instant relief.

Mr  Wong  pointed out  China   once  owned  the world patent  for   smelly  incense  sticks   but  it  had  been stolen  by  the  Pommies during the  Opium Wars  and  then  the  cotton picking  Yanks . He  warned  that  Australia would  become  a  major  dumping  ground  for  Uncle  Sam's  unwanted   incense. 

This  ruthless   Chinese move   will  devastate  rustbelt  parts of the  USA  which  have  only  been able to  hang on  due to  large  incense    exports   to  China   , while  praying  to  the  many  Gods , whether Celestial  or  Christian  , for  a   miracle   change  of   fortune .  And  along  came  Donald  Trump  promising   a   Pentecostal  cash  splash   from   Heaven .   

(China , Trade , Spoof.)     

COMING TO GRIPS WITH SINGAPORE AND COLONIALISM FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES

Singapore has    been  of  particular  interest  lately , partly  due  to   the  considerable   number  of   readers  Little Darwin  has  in   the  Lion  City .   

Another   reason  for  Singapore  coming to  our   attention  are  forgotten  letters   retrieved   while  trying to  get  this blog's   files in  order, even  culled in  parts , sent  from  Singapore   in  l955  by  a   former  Northern Territory News   editor,   Hugh  Mabbett,  a Kiwi ,  who  had  only recently  moved  up  there  to  work  on  The Straits Times.

Mabbett   attended  several  parties in  Darwin  before he  flew out to Singapore  and  reported  he   had  arrived   there   with  a headache . 

Early impresssions  of   Singapore  and   disparaging  remarks  about  the  southern  management  of  the  Northern Territory News  were  included  in his  correspondence  .  

He wrote a  book on  Bali ,  another on  an  American couple who started a  hotel at Kuta  Beach  from scratch  in  the  l930s.

Then , in  a  large  offering of  books in  a Townsville op shop , a solitary  hardback -The Singapore Grip - a  1978 novel  by  British Booker Prize  winning  author  J.G. Farrell  demanded   attention.  

Why ?  Because  loosely inserted in the back was a  large black and white photograph  of   the  author  and  his   cat    outside  an  isolated   farm house  he  had  bought in  south-west Ireland  in  l979.  Soon after , while fishing from  a  nearby  rock, he was  washed into  the sea  and  drowned. 

The Singapore  Grip was in a trilogy he wrote about the declining British Empire , the others  about  the Irish War of Independence  l919-1921 and  the l857  Indian Mutiny . 

Based on the Singapore book , a six part television series was made  which followed a  family of  wealthy  Britons  in Singapore in  the  Second World War .

It was described as  harmful and  upsetting by an advocacy  group for British  East and  South  East Asians,  a kick in the guts .

 The  writer  said it was actually "an attack on colonialism" and showed "the corrupt  practices  and  casual  racism  of  the  ruling  elites." Screenwriter  Sir Christopher Hampton  was quoted as  saying  "any fair-minded viewer" would "easily understand" this. 

The trilogy of books to which The Singapore Grip belongs is "perhaps the most celebrated  attack on  colonialism  by  a British novelist  in  the  20th Century, " he added.

(Singapore , Darwin , Booker.)

TOWNSVILLE TREASURES

 First in  a series - abridged  and  rerun - revealing some of the many gems in the Special Collections and rare books  areas of the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library at James Cook University ,Townsville.

The bookplate section in the superb *Edna Shaw Collection in Special Collections contains  fine examples by some of the early leading exponents of the art . 

These are in four labelled albums in a blue slipcase : Adrian Feint (1894-l971), a painter , involved with Art in Australia for ll years , who in l930 held an exhibition  of bookplates in the Library of Congress, Washington; George D. Perrottet , whose bookplate designs were the subject of a special review in the  l934  Bookplate Collectors and  Designers Year  Book; Hilda Alexandra Wiseman, born in Tasmania in 1894 , went  with her family to Auckland  where she was regarded as  the top bookplate maker  in that country ; Miscellaneous , the title for the fourth , containing examples of interesting  work by well - known artists and  bookplate  makers. 

A surprise  find in the collection is a 1900 Adrian Feint ex libris  bookplate for Dr McDonnell, of Toowoomba ,Queensland, who in 1897 treated 17-year-old Elizabeth Kenny for a  broken  wrist  who  fell from  a  horse. 

While in his  care , she studied  his anatomy books and model skeleton,eventually taking up nursing.  She became the "legendary " Sister Kenny ,particularly famous  for her method of treating polio  sufferers.

Dr McDonnell is said to have been her mentor and advisor in the l920s and they  sent  patients   suffering from polio  and other ailments to mineral spas to  relieve pain. The belief was that the warm water could ease rheumatism, muscular pains , arthritis  and other conditions. In 1928 Dr McDonnell represented the Queensland  Council of Surgeons and was  a founding member of  the  Council of  Australian Surgeons. 

In l932 , Sister Kenny established a  treatment  clinic in Townsville; despite continuing   opposition  from the medical profession  clinics  using her methods were later opened in Brisbane  and elsewhere . 

In 1940, she visited the  United States where her methods were favourably received  and Kenny Clinics opened in  that country despite  some opposition. 

Congress honoured her in l950 and in l952 she was voted the most  admired person in the USA.  A duplicate of Dr  McDonnell's bookplate , a wood engraving, is held in the  Special Collections  Department of  the  University of  Delaware, USA. 

BUSHFIRE   , OLYMPIC SWIMMER .

A 1926  Feint   bookplate was  made  for John  Gartner, a collector well known in numismatic, philatelic and decorative arts. The Gartner house in Mount Macedon ,Victoria, along with all its fabulous collections, was destroyed by Ashe  Wednesday bushfires .

Another  gem in the Shaw Collection is the above gondolier  bookplate scene for the first Australian to represent the  nation as a  swimmer at an Olympic Games -Frederick Claude Vivian Lane  (1879-l969). When Lane was four he was saved from drowning  by his brother in Sydney Harbour and took up swimming .

He became a champion and  won many races in Australia and across the Tasman . During his swimming he won  350 trophies and  more than 100 medals.

In 1900 he became Australia's  first swmming representative at the Paris Olympics , where he won the 200 metres freestyle title in 2 minutes 25.2 seonds, winning by 5.8 seconds, and  the 200 metres  obstacle race .

Working for a legal firm in Blackpool, England, in July 1902 he became the first swimmer  to clock one minute  for 100 yards . A month later he won the 220 yards in 2 minutes 28.6 seconds, ratified in l974 by the Federation Internationale de Natation  Amateur as the first world record for  200 metres .

Soon after, he reportedly "astounded  the swimming world " by establishing  the  first mark  when  he  broke  the minute for 100 yards -59.6 seconds.

Returning to Australia, Lane became  a master printer and partner in the Sydney stationery firm of Smith and Lane . Interested in art, literature , model building , stamps, cigarette cards and  newspaper cuttings , he also had a collection of  works by  marine  artists  Jack Spurling and  John   Allcott .

Norman Lindsay paintings and literary works  were another  of his interests ;  he wrote  and  printed  a  book  on  Lindsay's  bookplates.

Norman Lindsay is represented in the Shaw Collection by  the above  bookplate which appears to depict printers imps producing a book on a Caxton-like press for a person  with the name  H ( possibly Herr because he was  German ), Jalmar Josephi, who appears to have been a musical  linguist, connoisseur of  rare  books , even  a  collector of ancient   weapons . There is  a copy  in  the  National  Library  of   Australia.

* Edna Shaw :A descendant of the pioneers ,William and Mary Bright, after whom Bright Point is named   on Magnetic Island ,off Townsville. After a business  and nursing career , she undertook  a four year fine arts degree  at the University of Melbourne and worked as a research assistant to Professor  Joseph Bourke on his work about the history of British Art of the 18th Century. 

Over  the  years  she amassed  a  large collection of  books  and   materials on  Australian Art  which  she dedicated to her late father, John Vernon Shaw, a Townsville baker,   which  she  gave  to  the  Townsville University .  

( Townsville  ,University ,  Collections).

SPINE-TINGLING EARLY MORNING ENCOUNTERS

Echidna , also known as Spiny Anteater, on  track up Castle  Hill. Photo by Aeronautical  Correspondent  Abra . The  following  day,  another, larger one , was  spotted .     

 

NORTHERN TERRITORY ROMEO IN DANGEROUS FONDUE PARTY CASE

 In his relentless search for  items of  interest, at  times verging on the bizarre,  our  Shipping Reporter  made a  discovery  which  has   turned  him   into   a   budding  bush  lawyer.

It is the  2003 fourth edition of Torts, by Martin Davies and Ian Malkin,  designed  to  explain  the  concepts  of  Torts  for  Australian  law students. 

As luck would have it , the  book appears to  have once belonged to someone in the  multinational  law firm , MinterEllison , the biggest in  Australia . 

Apart from underlining  of   text  in  various colours  and  margin notes  , there  are MinterEllison sticky notes  attached to various interesting cases,  with  handwritten  comments . 

Our waterfront roundsman , who does have an obvious  twisted sense of humour,  almost became hysterical  with  laughter while  reading  details of   a  case  in  which  a  one armed man was badly injured  by a  faulty fondue  set  provided  by  a  friend  at  a  house warming  party. 

The kind host, identified as  Denny , had bought the second hand  fondue set at a  flea market as well as an uninsulated set of six metal spearing forks. He invited  former housemates to come  to  his first fondue  party in his  new flat  dressed  as singing  stars of the 70s .

One of the revellers, named  Benny, a large  person , who had recently lost his right arm , after drinking several margaritas , experienced  difficulties  using the  spears on the  hot,  bubbling   fondue components, the cheese  seemingly  seething  like  lava in an imminent  volcanic  eruption . 

He received serious burns  when a  spark  set fire to his polyester suit ,  his synthetic  beard and  wig , the latter two  apparently  part of  his  jolly  party  outfit !!!

The flames also set fire to Denny's orange nylon shag pile carpet . Benny sued Denny for damages  due  to  failure of  duty of  care , knowing about  shortcomings  in  the  dangerous  fondue  set  and  spears .

In discussing the case,  Torts  cited Romeo  v Conservation Commission of the Northern   Territory (l998)  where the High Court  held the defendant  had not been negligent despite its failure to  fence off a cliff  or put up warning signs to guard against the foreseeable  risk that someone  (like the plaintiff) , labouring under  impairment of senses , might fall  over  the  cliff .  

The  tasty  Torts  book  and  another  on  documents that shaped Australia were  unearthed  in  Townsville  by  our  scavenging   Shipping  Reporter. 

(Torts, Fondue, Romeo.)

TEEMING WATERS

Townsville. Vallis. 

 

BORN TO FLY IN A BLAZE OF COLOR

 Believed to be  a Cairns  Birdwing  butterfly  caterpillar  in  the  larvae  stage eating the leaves of  a  special   vine  which  while   nutritious  to  it  are poisonous to other  caterpillars. 

The  toxins in the leaves are stored in its orange-red spines and also warn predators  that   they  are  poisonous.   Danger  signs  exposed  below  on well  munched  vine  where  four  tiny  new  caterpillars  have  been  found . 

Before   turning into a  chrysalis , the  larvae  climbs into a nearby tree , attaches  itself   to  look  like  a  dead  leaf , later  emerging  with  wings, a female  shown  here,  the  brighter  male  only  lives  four  to  five weeks , mates  faster  than  Speed  Gordon.. 

(Butterfly,Toxic, Dead.)

SHOCK , HORROR : AMERICA CLEAR -FELLED BY LYING LUMBERJACK APEING HONEST HATCHET WIELDING GEORGE WASHINGTON

 

(Horror, America , Washington.)

UNCLE SAM ADMITTED TO SANITORIUM AFTER ZIPPITY- DO0 - DAH ELECTION

Appalled  by  Donald Trump  winning the  American  election, that  much  loved  fine   old  finger  pointing and  licking  Yanky  symbol ,   Uncle Sam ,  babbling  to  himself , stripped of his battered  straw-boater and  garish clothing  bought in  a  Bronx op shop,  has  been   rushed   to   an  upgraded   dark  celebrity  padded  cell  in  Disney Land  for  urgent  shock  treatment .  

An  anonymous deeply  concerned  Mayo  Clinic  doctor   told  Little  Darwin   Uncle  Sam  is  in  a  catatonic state ,  above,    ghastly  in appearance ... similar to  a  repulsive  Halloween mask   designed  in   the  USA  , made  in Mexico , smuggled  across the border , which  went  astray  and  warped  on  a  delivery  flight  to   Australia.      

(Trump,  Halloween , Mexico.)     

COMMERCIAL ART IN THE NORTH

 Aspiring  Townsville  artist   Walter  E. Badcoe  signed up for   the   Melbourne Australian  Art  Training  Centre   commercial  course  circa  l950s  and  was   soon  doing  well , reporting  that  in  his spare  time  he  had  made nearly 1000 pounds  producing  catalogues ,  covers   and  advertisements.

The  above  sample   for  Magnetic  Island  displays his  name on  the  bow of  the   launch .   Described as a  student , Badcoe's  following cover  design    on  fishing  won  an  Australian  Writers  and  Artists'  Federation  competition.

(Badcoe, Art , Townsville.)

BRITISH NEW GUINEA EXPEDITION 1904

 A collection of  51 photographs taken on the Daniels Ethnographical Expedition , one of the most important scientific  expeditions  before  WWl,  is included  in  the latest acquisitions list of  Douglas Stewart Fine Books, Melbourne, for  $7500.

The expedition was led and financed by Major William  Cooke Daniels (1870-1918), a wealthy American retailer  who met the  British anthropologist  Charles Gabriel Seligmann (1873-1940) by chance  on  a fishing trip in England .

Seligmann had taken part in the 1898 Cambridge Anthropological Expedition  to  the Torres Strait  and had  visited  what  was  then  British  New  Guinea . 

The  photographs , which  include  inscriptions in pencil , possibly by Seligmann, were   taken  by photographer  Arthur  Henry  Dunning (1884-l959), are  a  record  of  the  fast  vanishing  traditional culture. 

Daniels and his yacht, the Kori, arrived in Port Moresby on 23 May. Over the next five months, the team visited Hula and the Mekeo and Rigo districts in what is now Central Province, and islands in Milne Bay including Samarai, Tubetube, Muyua, Gawa, Kwaiawata, Iwa, and the Trobriand Islands. They also visited Dogura in Bartle Bay, and Wagawaga, a village on the coast of Milne Bay.

In Port Moresby, Dunning, assisted by the British Resident  Magistrate Francis Rockman  Barton, recorded  three  wax  cyclinders of  lagatoi songs.   

Lagatoi are the double-hulled sailing canoes used in the hiri, the annual trading expedition that Motu / Koita people took to the Papuan Gulf to trade their clay pots for sago; the hiri is still celebrated today and remains an important  symbol  for  the  Motu / Koita people.

(Photos, Expedition,Guinea).

SCOOP : DONALD TRUMP REDUCED TO DEADWOOD AFTER CRASH-LANDING ON ELON MUSK UPGRADED ESCAPE FLIGHT TO MARS FOLLOWING ELECTION LOSS

Noxious  weeds  only sign of  life on  Red  Planet . Vallis .

(Trump,Loss,Mars.)

POMMIES IN AUSSIE RULES BLOOPER

A quick perusal  of   Miller's Collectables  495 page  British   price guide for  1999-2000  by our Shipping Reporter has  revealed   the  above  black and white poster , framed and  glazed , claiming  it  was  the  mascot of the  Collingwood  American  Football Club , signed  by  team members in l973 , worth  40-50  pounds . 

The  artist  was identified as  Hagg , who  was  obviously  Reg  Hagg,  born    Melbourne  in  1917,  a   well  known  cartoonist   and   illustrator, with no connection  to  any  Uncle Sam  backed   football  club. 

ODD NORTHERN TERRITORY FOOTING

 

Tattooed ouline of  the Northern Territory on  an  unwashed foot in Townsville.  Another   tattoo, not visible, is the Jabiru bird which is used to promote   NT  tourism .

(Territory, Foot , Tattoo.)

SEARCH FOR REPORTER'S GRAVE

A move is  afoot to  try and locate  the  grave  of  Australian journalist  Roger East who was  killed when  Indonesia invaded  the  Portuguese Timor  capital , Dili , in  l975.   Furthermore, it  has  been suggested  a monument   should  be  raised  honouring  East  on  or  before next  year's  50th anniversary of  the invasion. 

There  is already a  small Roger East plaque  which was  arranged  by his family in  2000.

Nearby is another memorial to  that  fateful day  in 1975, marking the start  of  the  attack on   Dili ,  shown  below . 

The  wide  ranging   discussions  on  the  subject  have  included  the    suggestion  that  Australian actor  Anthony LaPaglia  be asked to play a leading  part  in  the  campaign .

He  played  East in the  film, Balibo,  about the five  members of  the Australian  news team  killed  on October  16 , l975 ,  at  the start of  the  incursion , based  on  Cover  Up, the book by Shirley Shackleton , whose  television  reporter  husband,  Greg, was one of  those murdered.

In the attempt to  find the exact spot where  East  was  supposedly buried  after being shot and thrown into the sea on December 8, l975,  it  has even been  suggested  that  a  US Department of  Defence  organisation , based  in Hawaii , which looks for the missing in  action graves  of  80,000  Americans,  might become involved  in a roundabout  way . 

This is  because  there is a site in  Dili, not far from where East  was possibly  interred , which might  contain the remains of  Japanese,  Australian  and   American  airmen .  Ground probing radar  could  be used in the  hunt  for East's remains.  

One  of  those  discussing   the proposal  is Darwin agronomist Robert Wesley-Smith , deeply involved in the East Timor   struggle , who  re- enacted Roger East  being  shot and  thrown into  the sea , below , on the 20th anniversary -

 

Wes , 82, has just produced  a  44pp , illustrated   booklet ,Timor Tales,  about the  long , bloody struggle , which includes articles he wrote over the years , some poems  by Timorese ,  1942  photos of Dili , a  map  used  by  Australian  commandoes  during   WWll and even a photo of the brave  November 28,1975  universal  declaration  of   independence  in  Dili ,  Roger  East , in shorts,  visible  with  a  camera  at  the historic event .  Wes  produced  an  earlier  E-book,   117 Days  in  Timor .

Hot  off  the press  Timor  Tales , Sam Kruger and Yamamoto plus Other Stories . The  person  featured on  the  cover  is  the late Sam Kruger who , while in charge of radio communications  on Guadalcanal during WW2, is said to have  played  a   part  in  Operation Vengeance,  the  shooting  down  by  Americans  of  the plane  in  which Japan's  Admiral- in - Chief   Isoruku  Yamamoto , mastermind of  the attack on  Pearl Harbour,   was  travelling. Kruger   was  also  involved  in   the  early  days  of  the  East Timor struggle ; he spent time in the Northern Territory  and   was buried   at   Alice  Springs . 

Wesley-Smith has passed on information about East's  likely grave site he  has gleaned  from  various sources . He  firmly  believes the Australian Embassy in  Timor - Leste should become  involved in  the  search .

Recently Melbourne  activist, John Waddingham ,   keeper of  the East Timor clearing house archive , came to Darwin, went to Timor- Leste . He is due back in Darwin in the coming  week and  will stay with  Wesley-Smith .

Human rights  advocate  and author ,  Pat  Walsh , who wrote  The Day Hope and History Rhymed in East Timor  , plus other  pieces on  East Timor, went to Timor Leste  this year and  made  inquiries , especially in relation to a possible  burial  site  near a  major government  building .

A former priest , he lived  in East Timor for  10  years  and with the suport of the  United Nations helped set up and run the ground breaking reconciliation commission . 

It is hoped that   Timor- Leste  president  ,  Jose  Ramos- Horta , a Nobel Peace Laureate ,  will   become  involved  in  the  Roger  East  proposal. The Australian Journalists' Association  has  been informed .

A veteran  reporter  with experience in several overseas troublespots , Roger East  came to  Darwin after Cyclone Tracy  and  met  up with old reporter friend , Peter  Blake ,they both having worked on the Hong Kong Star , a Darwin independent  newspaper named after The  Star .

East went to Timor to  investigate what happened to the Balibo 5. His despatches  about the   worsening situation   were flown   back to  Darwin  by  plane , where they were picked up  by a  woman  at the airport , photocopied , and distributed to news outlets, including Australian  Associated  Press .

In a lighthearted  covering note to one  , he  described himself as his mother's favourite son , who was  being shot  at  from many  angles. 

 A Balibo Five-Roger East Fellowship, an initiative of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance and Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA -was  set up to promote  journalism  in  Timor Leste .

(Timor,East,Hawaii.)

A LIFE IN ART

Cairns Art Gallery exhibition  running through to December  8. 

Margaret Olley: A Life in Art tells the story of Olley’s incredible life and enduring career through her greatest legacy – her art. The exhibition includes artwork from as early as 1938, painted at just 15 years of age, through to 2011, the year of her death.

Olley’s incredible career, enormous capacity for friendship and dedication to the art world, have made her one of Australia’s most loved and celebrated artists.

Extract  : Her journey as an artist can be explored and contextualised through the diverse nature of the works in this exhibition, drawn exclusively from the collection at the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre.

In 1964 she purchased 48 Duxford Street, Paddington ,Sydney– the property that became her famous home studio and  now re-created at the Margaret Olley Art Centre in the Tweed Regional Gallery in Murwillumbah.

48 Duxford Street became an ecosystem of art and life. The home was filled with furnishings, textiles, vases, jugs, bowls, coffee pots and flowers – all collected as subject matter for  painting. 

The exhibition includes interiors and still lifes from Duxford Street as well as photographs by her artist friend Greg Weight, who photographed her home studio in the days following her  death. 

Thanks to our  arty Aeronautical Correspondent  , Abra , in Cairns, this post is a follow up to the  recent one in Little Darwin which mentioned Olley's connection with Tully , Magnetic Island  and  Townsville .

(Olley, Artist, Cairns .)

SPIDERS OF PARADISE

 Cairns  Art  Gallery exhibition  by Maria Fernanda Cardosa .

The  exhibition brings together new works by Maria Fernanda Cardosa, born  1963  at  Bogota , Colombia , in her ongoing photographic series , Spiders of Paradise  (2018-2024), alongside her  acclaimed  video On the Origins of Art -l-ll  ( 2016).

The spiders were collected in various parts of Australia over 10 years by arachnologists  and citizen scientist.  Renowned  scientific imager Geoff Thompson and entomologist Andy Wang  from the Queensland  Museum prepared and photographed speciments using focus stacked  micro-photography.

The Origins of  Art video covers the  tiny ,5mm, Maratus spider , with a bright abdomen displayed in elaborate mating rituals. It has been pointed out  that the spider above right looks like a robot , which  raises the  possibility that  AI is spinning  a  web in the world of arachnology. Report from our  Aeronautical Correspondent, Abra.

(Spiders, Cardosa, Cairns.)