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Photo:
John Lacey
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Garry
Shead and Adrianne Levenson with the mosaic they are creating
based on Garry's painting of Lawrence and Frieda at a
picnic at Thirroul
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Photo:
John Lacey
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One
of Garry's Kangaroo paintings hanging on his library wall
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Photo:
John Lacey
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Adrienne
Levenson shows secretary Sandra Jobson the ceramic tiles
specially fired for the mosaic
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Photo: John Ruffels |
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Garry
Shead and vice-president
of the DHL Society Rob Darroch relax
on the verandah before the barbecue lunch
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Photo:
John Lacey
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Rob
Darroch signs Garry's copy of his 1981 book D.H.
Lawrence in Australia
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ON
SUNDAY,
August 16, the D.H. Lawrence Society of Australia was privileged
to make a visit to artist Garry Shead's home at Bundeena. It was
here, in his studio, where Garry created his celebrated Kangaroo
series of paintings, based on Lawrence and Frieda's time at Thirroul
- 30 kilometres further south - and which was where Lawrence mainly
wrote his 1922 novel of Australia, portraying its secret army of
Diggers and Maggies.
As is traditional with our DHLA events, the weather was balmy. A
warm, pre-spring day welcomed those who arrived at Bundeena wharf
by ferry from Cronulla, meeting up with the others who had driven
there through the Royal National Park from Sydney.
Garry and his partner, Adrienne Levenson, greeted the 22 of us at
his "compound" - two detached studios and an airy two-storey
house set in a large bushland garden rolling down towards the southern
shores of Port Hacking.
Tables under large umbrellas had been set out for the barbecue feast,
which was prepared by our vice-president/chef Rob Darroch, assisted
by John Ruffels (distribution) and Owen Archer (second tongs).
After lunch Garry led us to the first studio, where he and Adrienne
are working on a large mosaic version of one of his Kangaroo paintings.
They explained that in order to achieve the subtle colours of the
painting they had to have special clay tiles fired. The tiles were
stacked in little piles of moss green, rich ochres, hazy blues,
warm pinks, ready to be cut into smaller squares and placed painstakingly
on to the unfinished layout of the mosaic (see photos).
The mosaic is to be unveiled soon at Lucio's restaurant in Paddington
(Lucio was the subject of a portrait by Garry and Adrienne hung
at the recent 2009 Archibald Prize exhibition at the Art Gallery
of NSW).
Then Garry led us to his main studio, where he showed us his new
work-in-progress - a series of paintings based on his uncle, who
was a wine-maker in the Hunter Valley.
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Photo:
Sandra Jobson
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Enjoying
a wander in the garden before lunch. From left to right
(front row): Kerie Hooke (Minutes Secretary); Jo Vink; Bev
Firth. Back row: ROger Hooke, Arnold
Vink
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Garry's studio is stacked with paintings and sketches and books
- very much a real working studio. (He also showed us some of his
large Lawrence paintings, which are on the walls of an upstairs
library).
Next we went
back down to the main house, where chairs had been set out, cinema-style,
in front of a large television screen.
There we were treated to a "sneak" preview of a DVD
produced by Adrienne's son, Lorin Askill, of Garry's Kangaroo
series, set to the music of composer Peter Sculthorpe's orchestral
piece, "Small Town", itself based on Lawrence's time
at Thirroul.
The DVD, narrated by Sculthorpe himself, reading excerpts from
Kangaroo, is a magical blending of Garry's artwork, Peter's
music, and Lawrence's words. It was much appreciated, and roundly
applauded.
Lawrence would have loved it. It is to be shown on the ABC next
year, and released as a DVD.
It had been a perfect day…"One of the very best DH Lawrence
Society events ever," as our President, John Lacey, said.
We are grateful to Garry and Adrienne for their extraordinary
generosity and hospitality.
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Photo:
John Lacey
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Garry
Shead in his stuido
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Photo:
John Lacey
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Evidence
of a busy artist
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