I started writing this post about a new book that recently arrived 'Australian Abstracts' but found myself totally engrossed in a blog post titled 'My Creative Heritage' from Lisa Call - artist, coach, teacher and friend! She poses the question what does your creative heritage look like?
You can read Lisa's post here
Like Lisa, once I started thinking about my creative heritage so many images and memories jumped into my mind … so I decided to join in the conversation she started! My story goes like this ….
My Mother and Aunt grew up in the early part of the 20th century in country NSW - a time that was worlds away from today! Their early education included learning poetry and music, sewing and drawing … a childhood of some privilege!
An index page from Arthur Rackham's Book of Pictures published in 1914 which belonged to my Aunt…..
But that was all disrupted by the death of my Grandfather and WW1. They were sent to school in Sydney where Mum went on to become a nurse and my Aunt went to Art School. Then came the depression of the 1930's and WW2, life was turned upside down and they returned to their country base.
They learned to get by, learning to make do with what was at hand … making clothes from curtains, growing food and working on the land in place of the men that had gone to war. Experiences that stayed with them for life. They always kept stuff because it might be useful ….
I grew up in the 50's and 60's, and Mum introduced me to all those things she remembered from her early life …. reading, poetry, drawing etc . She took me to plays and my first opera when I was about 10! She also taught me all those practical skills of making. I can clearly remember standing on a stool in the kitchen helping to make bread! and when I was older a favourite outing was a trip to the fabric shop to find pattern and material for the next dress!
Mum made me a quilt (her one and only) - for my 16th birthday. It is a cathedral window design using all the leftover fabric scraps from our dressmaking over the previous years. It is a remarkably heavy quilt which is still in pretty good condition after 50 + years!
My Aunt came to live with us when I was about 8 … a second mother! When she retired from work she went back to her art. She set up a studio in a spare room and was always sketching and drawing! Under her guidance I tried my hand at painting a landscape in oils one summer holiday but wasn't too impressed with my efforts!
My Aunt also passed on two other gifts … a passion for gardens and roses in particular and the pleasure of life long learning, she was always reading and keeping up to date with what was happening in the world and in art.
My Dad also grew up in the country, in Tasmania. He was one of 7 and left the property and Tasmania to work in the bank. He was a practical man, loved his veggie garden and chooks etc and looked for every opportunity to get out of the city.
We had many happy holidays out in the bush fossicking for gold or sapphires. When he retired from the bank he turned his hand to making stools and chairs with woven seats - a maker at heart!
So it should not be at all surprising that my creative life all these years later has followed the path it has … I can see all those skills and experiences passed down from Mum, Dad and my Aunt, woven together in my life ...
…. no wonder I have a large stash of fabric, a room full of paints and sketchbooks, a passion for gardens and making and listen to opera in the process!
What about you? Can you track your creative heritage? If not ... are you starting a new heritage! If you decide to write about it I'd love to read the answer, you can email a link to your blog or just email me at carolyn@carolyncollinsart.com
Thank you for reading, I appreciate your interest and support. Till next time .... CC
PS. You are very welcome to share this post with anyone you think might be interested. You can receive your own copy and JOIN US !
Carolyn Collins is a contemporary Australian artist working with a mix of
acrylic paint, ink, collage and drawing materials.
Her work is an exploration of resilience through connection to the natural world.
https://www.carolyncollinsart.com