More interesting stuff from around the place where I live.

 More interesting stuff from around the place where I live.

The Chandelier tree.

For more of these articles see LOCAL HISTORY in the ARCHIVES tab.

Originally published in the BBCN August 2013

 Joe Bussard King of record collectors.

A lot of people are proud of their record collections, some put unrealistic and overstated importance on their vinyl and its worth.

Joe Bussard is a living legend who has a  priceless collection of early American blues, country and folk recordings that is s important as much as it's historical.

What he will do with it after he passes is anyone's guess. 'Cause he ain't telling.

 HARRY GOLD'S - Homer’s Career Before The Simpsons | Documentary

Australian artist/satirist Harry Gold is an underrated Youtuber who has work that has appeared in MAD magazine and is a 2D animator for Alt.vfx .  I'm posting this because I think it is brilliant and deserves a bigger audience. 

Not that he'll find it here.

Local Comic Creator Day April 2021

 

Local Comic Creator Day April 2021

You know when things are getting back to pre-COVID normal when people can come together to celebrate their hobbies and interests that are not related to a church or a sporting event.

Before the pandemic, Melbourne was awash with exhibitions, conventions and “swap meets”. There wasn’t a weekend that went by that didn’t have some event scheduled. Antiques, quilting, cars, toys, records, cards, many bundled together as collectables fairs. Some of the biggest of these events (along with the quilting and home shows) were the pop culture conventions. Events like Supanova, Pax and Oz ComiCon are annual shows that ran the whole weekend including Friday and attracted 20000 people a day. Ironically, the venues where these shows are usually held -The Exhibition building and Centre-are now the venues for the mass COVID vaccinations.

As well as these 3 massive pop culture conventions were several smaller lowkey versions, but as the big ones became larger and more expensive to be part of, or enter, the smaller ones became dominated by Identity Politics and became somewhat exclusive.

So, after everything shut down Alternate Worlds co-owner Joe Italiano entertained the idea of running his own comic convention when things began to return to some

Joe (Left) & Peter Hughes- owners of AW

semblance of normal. Joe had had experiences with such a task as he and a group of friends were responsible for one of the first comic conventions in Australia in the late 1970s. His idea was simple, a small comic creator convention where local artist and publishers could present to the public, similar to his original concept. The larger conventions like those mentioned earlier had become bloated circus’ full of merchandise, cosplay (where fans dress as their favourite characters) and last chance arenas for near-forgotten actors from once popular shows that were cancelled decades ago. It had got to the point where comic creators were allocated an area in the corner, sometimes in a separate building from the main event. Joe wanted to get back to basics. COVID set the scene for this to happen.

 On April 17, Melbourne had its first comic convention in nearly 18 months at Alternate Worlds in Bayswater. Under the more accurate title Local Comic Creator Day.

So, like the fanboy I am, I strolled down the road to pay it a visit.

Gerald Carr

It goes a lot towards a show’s credibility when the calibre of the talent attending is bordering on legendary.  Foremost was veteran cartoonist Gerald Carr, winner of The Jim Russell Award, given by the Australian Cartoonists' Association for significant contribution to Australian Cartooning and the 2019  Ledger of Honour recipient. (the Ledgers being the OZ Comic Industry’s equivalent of the Oscars). With him, he had samples of his work that spanned nearly 60 years.

 

Gary Dellar of Reverie

Coming all the way from Sunbury was Gary Dellar publisher of Reverie comics whose first publications came out in the early 1980s, Gary had recently revived the publishing house after a long hiatus and is now producing a high volume of titles that include some of Australia’s greatest and newest talent. Some which he shared the table with artist and writers like Rob Lisle, Peter Lawson, Haydn Spurrel and George Hall. Also among the older crew were bona fide underground comic royalty Steve Carter and Antoinette Ryder, collectively known as SCAR who appeared in just about every major publication in Australia, as well as several international titles and have the dubious honour of being banned by the Bjelke -Petersen Government in the 1980s. Amongst this lot was Darren Close, whose creation Killer Roo is one of the more popular and best-selling titles in Australian comics for the last 10 years. These and many other up and coming creators were more than generous with their time.

As the show was being held in the warehouse adjacent to the Alternative Worlds shop, space was at a premium, but it added to the cosy atmosphere and the shop still managed to set up a display of classic Australian comics and magazines, some worth several hundred dollars and important parts of this country’s publishing history. I will admit it was a nice change not being surrounded by 50 stalls selling Pop Vinyl figures and dodging people dressed up as the Hulk, Thor and Spiderman or 25 different girls dressed as Sailor Moon in every aisle.

It was pleasant to go back to the roots of the comic convention scene, to meet the creators and check out their work. Because I know in a year or two it will be back to full bore circus mode.

Edna Walling and my weird 6 degrees of separation summer

Edna Walling and my weird 6 degrees of separation summer

Young Edna

This year , early as it is , one person has been constantly appearing as a footnote to events that have happened  to me or I have been involved in. That person is a legendary garden design/ landscaper, writer, photographer, conservationist and godmother of the girl power movement - the late Edna Walling.

It’s like some weird six degrees of separation that involves Miss Walling and me.

I recently found out from a Facebook group dedicated to the suburb where I grew up, that within 200 metres of  my family home in Jordanville (now Chadstone were two Edna Walling gardens.

 Our house was on the very eastern edge of the Housing Commission estate and up the hill situated on the aptly named Grandview Parade was a very fine property called Robin Hill that was so out of place it resembled the mansion above the suburbs in the movie Edward Scissorhands. The home belonged to Lewis B Milne an executive for the company that owned Skipping Girl Vinegar. The house was built in 1946 during the height of Walling’s popularity. In its position, it commanded views almost equal to that from the top of Mt Dandenong. 

The original owners had long sold it and moved on before I arrived. The Commission estate began construction in 1949 and the view from the front yard was rapidly changing, instead of empty paddocks was now rows of concrete houses. 

I’d move too.

Robin Hill today

The high walls and steel gates only offered a glimpse through the bars but I always remember the gardens were so lush and well maintained, whoever the owner was at the time. The other was supposedly on the other side of the railway tracks on Salisbury road but I don’t recall any house even remotely impressive as Robin Hill on that street.                 

 But it was there, I’ve seen the plans.

Robin Hill before the estate with acres of paddocks.Circa 1946

Robin Hill (highlighted) during construction of the Housing Commission estate

The Lady, the legend.

Edna Walling was born in England in 1895 and came to Australia with her parents and sister via New Zealand in 1914. Settling in Melbourne Edna enrolled at the Burnley School of horticultural graduating when she was 22. (An institute many would be aware of, I, myself have three close relatives I can name who have been there.)  She first started working as a gardener when a chance encounter to plan a garden by an architect began a whole new career. More commissions followed and within five years she had built a flourishing practice in garden design.  Walling developed a unique style and attracted many rich, influential and famous clients. These included many industry leaders, professionals, and exclusive clubs. Dame Elizabeth Murdoch, Dame Nellie Melba and Frank Packer were among her clients. Soon her reputation spread to other States. Her regular gardening columns (1926-46) in Australian Home Beautiful enhanced her reputation and extended her influence. She was also a regular contributor of articles to many other magazines.

Edna at work

By the 1940s Walling's was a household name and she capitalized on her popularity by publishing a string of successful books, as well as this she was a keen photographer with well above-average skills. She obviously liked taking photos more than being in them, for finding multiple images of her is difficult.

Interconnecting Universes.

Tudor Village at Mawarra Sherbrooke

In early March a rather influential gentleman and talented artist was taken from us before his time. Jamin Swaneveld. He had a remarkable memorial service in Lake Emerald Park the same month and it stirred up some long dormant memories. 

Jamin building the Village

 About 15 years ago Jamin and I often chatted in his little shop in Belgrave. One of our conversations was how he and his family were temporarily lodging in a bungalow that was part of an estate next to Sherbrooke Forest in the Dandenongs. This particular estate had a garden that was designed by Edna Walling and it was still in pristine condition. He said he was going to make a Tudor Village that would fit perfectly with the aesthetic of the garden. I remember saying how that would be a novel idea and that was the last I thought of it. After Jamin’s death, I was looking through old photos and found a picture of him in his shed working on the almost complete village. 

The Village prior to installation

Then, whilst researching Miss Walling a bit more discovered the estate he was referring to was Mawarra, a famous example of Edna Walling’s design work and incidentally one of her own personal favourites. To add sugar to the dessert I found an old video from a mid-2000s episode of channel 9’s Postcards, and right at the end, we have the presenter Lauren Phillips tiptoeing through the miniature village that Jamin constructed.

It was a glorious find.

Before

 

After

 

A new home another connection

There are a few local connections to Miss Walling. When she was in her mid-20s she established a residence in Mooroolbark and named it Sonning. This became her base for almost 40 years establishing her nursery and gathering around her a group of like-minded people for whom she designed picturesque 'English' cottages and gardens. She named the area BickleighVale village in honour of the town she grew up in England. It became a sanctuary of sorts and its residence were predominantly female. The village still remains, and its roads are still unpaved, it was and remains an extraordinary experiment in urban development.

A retired Edna

I was looking through the excellent collection of Walling designs at the StateLibrary online, and discovered a plan for a Mrs Jessie Cook of Boronia but as yet haven’t been able to locate the address or if it was a commission piece.

Edna Walling’s style was influenced by her memories of the English gardens of her childhood, the stonework of the aptly named Ellis Stones and her love of Australian flora. Her designs were often water coloured to give clients a more intimate feel of how the finished garden would appear.

The Boronia Garden for Mrs Cook

An example of Walling's water coloured plans

Walling left Melbourne in 1967– though she travelled far and wide during her career  for her work- to the warmer climes of Queensland and died in 1973.

Edna Walling was truly a great Australian who left a massive legacy and I recommend researching or even visiting her existing gardens in the area if the chance arises just like I have, thanks to a few chance events and some great memories.

EXAMPLES OF EDNA WALLINGS WORK

 

Bibliography

www.adb.anu.edu.au/biography/walling-edna-margaret-11946

Wikipedia

State Library Walling Design archives

www.bickleighvalevillage.com.au/

VALE JAMIN SWANEVELD

 VALE JAMIN SWANEVELD

Artist extraordinaire, extraordinary human.

Photo credit: ASHLEIGH WEBB

The world lost a special soul when Jamin Swaneveld was tragically killed when he was involved in an accident on his beloved motorcycle near Emerald on March 6th. He was only 45 years old. A devoted husband and father he is survived by his wife  Marcie and his two children Willow and Banjo. 

Jamin was a creative giant in the area.  A talented artist who drew and sculpted, this combined with his builder's background created amazing fantasy and whimsical pieces. He went on to become one of the most respected tattoo artists in Australia.

 A man who touched people not only with his talent but with his genuine good nature and personality.

I first met Jamin when I first moved into the area nearly two decades ago. He had just opened up a space next to a Nursery called WillowWoods in Belgrave to showcase his art. It was a magical place. A hexagonal cabin surrounded by fantasy-themed gardens with a bridge crossing to a little nook over the creek. Inside where sculptured models of wizards, dragons with other items like birdhouses books with ornates covers and random items like swords, helmets and shields, and smaller pieces like mushrooms and candles. I would pop in a just chat about anything, he had that charismatic personality and being a natural storyteller, he could hold an audience for ages. 

Sadly, WillowWoods didn’t pan out as planned and Jamin took a leap into the great unknown and decided to start up his own tattoo parlour Last Frontier in Upwey. A passion that combined his natural talent in drawing, patience and his natural rapport with people. Within a decade he had become one of the most respected skin artists in the country. He had built a unique shop, a cabinet of curiosities that was a million miles removed from the type of establishment often associated with the industry. With this success came the ability to travel and research the art he so much loved. His unique style and willingness to work with customers made him hugely popular. During COVID, unable to work from the shop, he decided to move the business to his home in Cockatoo where he rebuilt the shop's fantasy interior in a separate studio. This was all to be ready to roll out early this year but sadly this will no longer take place. Besides being an artist and builder Jamin had a passion for cars and motorcycles. He had two projects an old 1952 Ford pickup and a steampunk themed Harley motorbike that was showcased in national magazines. 

The world has lost a wonderfully creative talent and a true gentleman, a man whose passing has affected many in the community as they realise how much a change he made in their lives and I cannot begin to understand the loss his family is suffering. But if you reap what you sow in this life Jamin is currently walking through a field of gold. 

Rest In Peace great man. I'll see ya when I'm looking at ya.

OTHER ARTICLES THAT JAMIN APPEARED IN THAT WERE PUBLISHED IN THE PAST.

Willowwoods  -Where I fist met Jamin and how he inspired me to start creating again

Jamin the Artist An early article of his move to Last Frontier

Last Frontier  A review of Last Frontier.

My Hobbit Hole  That time Jamin gave me his unfinished Hobbit house from Willow Woods.

d'Arcy Doyle Aussie Everyman Painter

 

d'Arcy Doyle Aussie Everyman Painter

I was watching a documentary recently on the great American commercial painter Norman Rockwell. A genius at portraying everyday people in common everyday scenes, sometimes with a touch of humour but always with sense of warmth and affection. His portraits of American scenes and situations have become the standard of what people perceive as “everyday” American life from the 1930s to 60s. This whole episode got me remising about my formative years mainly the mid 1970s and 1980s and the artist d’Arcy W Doyle and his works had a similar effect the Rockwell had on his country and why Doyle rates as one of my favourite local artists.

It is no surprise that Doyle’s work would leave an impression on those from that era as Doyle was a canny businessman and like Ken Done who followed him marketed his work into countless prints and advertising paraphernalia such as biscuit tins, dinner trays and calendars. At one time it was estimated that one in ten Australian homes had one of his works in some form or another. This was fortunate for me because at the time growing up surrounded by these images though I had no real interest in art or illustration at that time, the familiarity of it left its mark on my memory. When I was a young lad my brothers and I were often packed up during school holidays and sent by bus up to Yea, the township where my mum’s family originated and many still lived along with our countless cousins. It wasn’t until later that looking closer at some of these d’Arcy Doyle pictures and his depiction of country life that I started to experience a major feeling of déjà vu. Though Doyle based many of these paintings around his own home in South East Queensland, they echoed my summers in Yea. The wide dusty dirt roads, playing cricket in the late afternoon early evening in baggy shorts and shoeless. A mixed group of both boys and girls of varying ages with nary a parent to be seen. Even the houses resembled my Aunty and Uncles. Some sitting high with trestles and other close to the street behind unkempt hedges. It was like a snapshot was taken of our time on those holidays away from home while mum and dad worked.

d’Arcy Doyle was more than a capturer of streetscapes. His deep infinity with the bush produced many landscapes, once again predominantly Queensland and his portrait of Sir Donald Bradman is considered a classic. He also became renowned as a mural painter working receiving commissions to do similar types of work in many Sydney RSLs. An organisation close to his heart as he served in the Australian Navy for seven years including a stint in Korea. Doyle died of bone cancer, something he battled for over a decade, in 2001 but his legacy continues with the d’Arcy Doyle Art Awards now in their 16^th year contributing to the success of artists from across the country. The main landscape category boasts a $10,000 first prize with further categories in Portraiture and Still Life. .The awards and exhibition showcase the best of Australian art from professionals and up and coming emerging artists with The d’Arcy Doyle Schools Challenge section dedicated to children attending junior, middle and high schools.

So, while Doyle’s prints and ephemera are not as prevalent as they once were, he still has a big stake in the future of other artists and he has left his mark on my memories even though it was only three or four works it’s probably influenced me more than most artists in my life.

Originally printed in the BBCN Issue 297 March 2021 edition