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"My innermost dream is to stay just as I am, keep doing what I am doing, continuing on my path. I don’t think I have any other dream that comes clear into mind.
My motivation comes from the joy I take from what people make. I greatly admire creative people - not just visual artists but makers/creators across every discipline"
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I have been reading (and enjoying) Peter's art reviews for years; but it was only last year that I met him in person.
Last year, I became a member of Strathnairn Arts Association and for the first time, I was sitting the Woolshed Gallery and finalised the votes for the popular "Squares" competition. As we counted the last votes, I got to know him better and I was very impressed to find out that he was not only a great art historian, but he had a classical education encompassing French, German and classic languages such as Greek and Hebrew.
Later on, I was lucky to have his expertise on putting together two shows.
How do you choose only ten images, from a vast archive of photos? Ten images that would say what you want them to say about yourself as an artist, but they will also work well with each other. I was stumped. I didn't have the answer, but Peter did. And when he was done, I could see the logic in his choices.
- "There are many hats I wear during a day. I am a partner, a critic, a writer, a consultant (I am Curatorial Advisor for the Ginninderry Project), an art historian and I am currently the Director of Strathnairn Arts Association.
Out of all these, my favourite is being a partner. I see myself very much as being one of the team of two. It's the most important thing in my life, with the addition of work. I would hate not working.
- "There are many hats I wear during a day. I am a partner, a critic, a writer, a consultant (I am Curatorial Advisor for the Ginninderry Project), an art historian and I am currently the Director of Strathnairn Arts Association.
Out of all these, my favourite is being a partner. I see myself very much as being one of the team of two. It's the most important thing in my life, with the addition of work. I would hate not working.
The balance between work life and emotional life works really well; I found it late though.
As a young child, I love reading more than anything. I probably was a weird child; my favourite book was a book of ancient history that I got for Christmas when I was 5 years old. My mother was a great reader and she instilled the love for books in us.
I read the Bible entirely when I was 6 years old, much to my whole’s family despair, because I would never shut up. I don't think I understood it but I read all the time and I kept my mind busy with all sorts of books. We had a 30-volume encyclopaedia and I would get a couple out and sit in the lounge, leafing through them. The pictures were all black and white and I still remember this black and white image by Cormon (a 19th-c French painter) of Neanderthal people or more exactly what he thought Neanderthal people looked like. The images were always fascinating to me, as was the text. But I think the images were really special.
Even now, I read everything. I think anyone writing needs to read a lot.
I didn't have a desire to be anything in particular, until I was well into my secondary school studies when I made up my mind that I wanted to be an anthropological linguist.
In primary school, I had a teacher who encouraged me to pursue languages, and in high school we studied the history of the English language and I loved it. I was very interested in how languages evolve.
After school I enrolled in Anthropology; French, German and English but decided to defer my studies and took a year off. I worked with the Public Service in Sydney and returned to Sydney Uni after a year or so. As I was doing an Arts degree (as opposed to Law, Medicine or whatever) I decided that I would study what I liked rather than anything that would offer career possibilities. Over the next few years I studied Archaeology, English, French, German, Classical Greek and Hebrew, Biblical Studies and Ancient History with majors in English Literature and Archaeology. I took Archaeology at Honours level and really enjoyed it, seeing it as where I might make a career. I was particularly interested in Greek ceramics and on completion of my undergraduate degree was to do graduate work on black-figure vases in Australian collections. I was also looking to perhaps study overseas and particularly in America. For a number of reasons I did not pursue overseas study. I also decided that I needed to broaden my knowledge and understanding of art beyond the ancient and much to my professor’s dismay, gave up my graduate work on Greek vases.
As a young child, I love reading more than anything. I probably was a weird child; my favourite book was a book of ancient history that I got for Christmas when I was 5 years old. My mother was a great reader and she instilled the love for books in us.
I read the Bible entirely when I was 6 years old, much to my whole’s family despair, because I would never shut up. I don't think I understood it but I read all the time and I kept my mind busy with all sorts of books. We had a 30-volume encyclopaedia and I would get a couple out and sit in the lounge, leafing through them. The pictures were all black and white and I still remember this black and white image by Cormon (a 19th-c French painter) of Neanderthal people or more exactly what he thought Neanderthal people looked like. The images were always fascinating to me, as was the text. But I think the images were really special.
Even now, I read everything. I think anyone writing needs to read a lot.
I didn't have a desire to be anything in particular, until I was well into my secondary school studies when I made up my mind that I wanted to be an anthropological linguist.
In primary school, I had a teacher who encouraged me to pursue languages, and in high school we studied the history of the English language and I loved it. I was very interested in how languages evolve.
After school I enrolled in Anthropology; French, German and English but decided to defer my studies and took a year off. I worked with the Public Service in Sydney and returned to Sydney Uni after a year or so. As I was doing an Arts degree (as opposed to Law, Medicine or whatever) I decided that I would study what I liked rather than anything that would offer career possibilities. Over the next few years I studied Archaeology, English, French, German, Classical Greek and Hebrew, Biblical Studies and Ancient History with majors in English Literature and Archaeology. I took Archaeology at Honours level and really enjoyed it, seeing it as where I might make a career. I was particularly interested in Greek ceramics and on completion of my undergraduate degree was to do graduate work on black-figure vases in Australian collections. I was also looking to perhaps study overseas and particularly in America. For a number of reasons I did not pursue overseas study. I also decided that I needed to broaden my knowledge and understanding of art beyond the ancient and much to my professor’s dismay, gave up my graduate work on Greek vases.
I also began a Dip.Ed. at the Sydney Teachers’ College thinking I would get a job but my studies there were short – 3 weeks.
I hated it. I needed a job and returned to the Public Service as a graduate clerk. Initially, I worked with the Department of Education but was quickly moved to the newly-formed Australia Council to work as a Project Officer with the Visual Arts Board. The “powers that be” in the Public Service hierarchy didn’t quite know what to do with an Honours graduate in Archaeology! My time with the Australia Council was amazing and further reinforced my desire to return to university and study art history, which I did the following year.
I was also kept on at the Australia Council, this time as a Project Officer for the Music Board where I worked part-time while studying Fine Arts at Sydney University. I returned to full-time study and completed another Honours degree, this time in Fine Arts.
I subsequently taught art history at a number of institutions including the University of Sydney, the University of New South Wales and the National Art School before moving to the Art Gallery of New South Wales where as well as lecturing to tertiary groups and the public I curated a number of exhibitions. I also studied for an MA in English Literature which I really enjoyed although the work-life balance was somewhat askew!
I moved to Canberra in 1981 to take up the position of Curator of Exhibitions at the (then) Canberra School of Art. It was a great job working with practitioners and with contemporary art involving a wide range of media. Art history as taught in those days rarely if ever moved beyond painting, sculpture, printmaking and architecture, so having to look at ceramics, textiles, glass, and woodwork, as well as painting, sculpture and printmaking was a delight. I also taught art history and theory and introduced the first courses in contemporary art.
I became very involved with the Canberra arts scene and took an active role on a number of boards including the Arts Council, vis-à-vis dance company, CAPO and the Canberra Contemporary Art Space. I was part of a small group that lobbied for the establishment of the CCA and was the first Chair of that organisation. I enjoyed my work very much but personally my first few years here were not fulfilling.
Following almost 9 years at the Art School I left to go into partnership with Solander Gallery, then Canberra’s leading private gallery. A major mistake that saw my leaving there and taking up a job in the National Library before moving to an initially a short-term secondment to the Parliament House Art Collection to catalogue the decorative arts component of the Collection. This lead to my being appointed Curator of the Parliament House Art Collection, a position I stayed in for about 5 years when I move to the Nolan Gallery as Director/Curator. While at Parliament House, I stated the public exhibition program showcasing the Art Collection. I am proud of that.
At the Nolan Gallery, I wanted to research mid-century Australian art but the development of the (now) Canberra Museum and Galley saw me moving between these organisations. I eventually became Director of Canberra Museum and Gallery and the Nolan Gallery and finally Director of ACT Museums and Galleries that included Canberra Museum and Gallery, the Nolan Collection and AC T Historic Places (Lanyon, Calthorpes’ House and Mugga Mugga). During my tenure in the previous position(s) I was made Adjunct Assoc. Professor of Culture Heritage and Museology at the University of Canberra. I left that position in 2011 to work part-time at the University of Canberra as University Art Curator and a lecturer in the Donald Horne Institute. My stay at UC was not long and since leaving, I have worked mainly as a consultant curator and writer. One of the most challenging projects was the 25th anniversary exhibition for Parliament House. I had to choose 25 works from the nearly 6000 artworks in the Collection and write about them in a way that the general public could understand. It was a challenge, but I enjoyed it a lot.
I was doing consultancy work, writing, and doing exhibitions quite happily and then a couple of years ago I was asked to give advice at Strathnairn Arts regarding the drawing prize. My advice was to start again. Then I was asked if I was interested to help out for a while and I said yes. The previous Director had left and I was interested in the position on a.part-time basis. I was offered the job and I accepted it, and here I still am. I continued my consultancy work and had quite a few exhibitions that toured to regional New South Wales in that year (and beyond). I also continue to write as a critic for the Canberra Times. I also wrote a book on local artist Helen Geier that year.
I love writing about exhibitions and about art but I feel it is a massive responsibility. I need to be “care-full”, not “careful”, full of care about what and how I write. For example, when I do my critical writing, if I really don't feel I can say something positive then I don't review a show. That being said, there are times when I offer suggestions of how an exhibition could work better.
While I was at ACT Museums and GalleriesCMAG, I wrote a number of exhibition catalogues, book chapters and articles.I am currently finalising my second book as an author; it’s about the Calleen Collection at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery and will be published later this year.
- How do you curate exhibitions?
- I have a good understanding of space and I have dealt with many different exhibition spaces. If the curator understands the space, putting an exhibition together becomes comfortable. There is a logic in a good exhibition - you walk in and you get it immediately. And the reason is because it “works”. There is a rationale behind why two artworks are next to each other and why the spaces are the way they are. There is a rhythm in the space between images and when you determine that rhythm it allows each image to breath and give out as much as it was put into it.
- What is your innermost dream?
I moved to Canberra in 1981 to take up the position of Curator of Exhibitions at the (then) Canberra School of Art. It was a great job working with practitioners and with contemporary art involving a wide range of media. Art history as taught in those days rarely if ever moved beyond painting, sculpture, printmaking and architecture, so having to look at ceramics, textiles, glass, and woodwork, as well as painting, sculpture and printmaking was a delight. I also taught art history and theory and introduced the first courses in contemporary art.
I became very involved with the Canberra arts scene and took an active role on a number of boards including the Arts Council, vis-à-vis dance company, CAPO and the Canberra Contemporary Art Space. I was part of a small group that lobbied for the establishment of the CCA and was the first Chair of that organisation. I enjoyed my work very much but personally my first few years here were not fulfilling.
Following almost 9 years at the Art School I left to go into partnership with Solander Gallery, then Canberra’s leading private gallery. A major mistake that saw my leaving there and taking up a job in the National Library before moving to an initially a short-term secondment to the Parliament House Art Collection to catalogue the decorative arts component of the Collection. This lead to my being appointed Curator of the Parliament House Art Collection, a position I stayed in for about 5 years when I move to the Nolan Gallery as Director/Curator. While at Parliament House, I stated the public exhibition program showcasing the Art Collection. I am proud of that.
At the Nolan Gallery, I wanted to research mid-century Australian art but the development of the (now) Canberra Museum and Galley saw me moving between these organisations. I eventually became Director of Canberra Museum and Gallery and the Nolan Gallery and finally Director of ACT Museums and Galleries that included Canberra Museum and Gallery, the Nolan Collection and AC T Historic Places (Lanyon, Calthorpes’ House and Mugga Mugga). During my tenure in the previous position(s) I was made Adjunct Assoc. Professor of Culture Heritage and Museology at the University of Canberra. I left that position in 2011 to work part-time at the University of Canberra as University Art Curator and a lecturer in the Donald Horne Institute. My stay at UC was not long and since leaving, I have worked mainly as a consultant curator and writer. One of the most challenging projects was the 25th anniversary exhibition for Parliament House. I had to choose 25 works from the nearly 6000 artworks in the Collection and write about them in a way that the general public could understand. It was a challenge, but I enjoyed it a lot.
I was doing consultancy work, writing, and doing exhibitions quite happily and then a couple of years ago I was asked to give advice at Strathnairn Arts regarding the drawing prize. My advice was to start again. Then I was asked if I was interested to help out for a while and I said yes. The previous Director had left and I was interested in the position on a.part-time basis. I was offered the job and I accepted it, and here I still am. I continued my consultancy work and had quite a few exhibitions that toured to regional New South Wales in that year (and beyond). I also continue to write as a critic for the Canberra Times. I also wrote a book on local artist Helen Geier that year.
I love writing about exhibitions and about art but I feel it is a massive responsibility. I need to be “care-full”, not “careful”, full of care about what and how I write. For example, when I do my critical writing, if I really don't feel I can say something positive then I don't review a show. That being said, there are times when I offer suggestions of how an exhibition could work better.
While I was at ACT Museums and GalleriesCMAG, I wrote a number of exhibition catalogues, book chapters and articles.I am currently finalising my second book as an author; it’s about the Calleen Collection at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery and will be published later this year.
- How do you curate exhibitions?
- I have a good understanding of space and I have dealt with many different exhibition spaces. If the curator understands the space, putting an exhibition together becomes comfortable. There is a logic in a good exhibition - you walk in and you get it immediately. And the reason is because it “works”. There is a rationale behind why two artworks are next to each other and why the spaces are the way they are. There is a rhythm in the space between images and when you determine that rhythm it allows each image to breath and give out as much as it was put into it.
- What is your innermost dream?
- My innermost dream is to stay just as I am, keep doing what I am doing, continuing on my path. I don’t think I have any other dream that comes clear into mind.
My motivation comes from the joy I take from what people make. I greatly admire creative people - not just visual artists but makers/creators across every discipline.
- In 5 years’ time, I hope I will still be doing what I'm doing most of the time, promote art, write and curate exhibitions.
- If I had 15 minutes of fame, I would find a platform to get the Government to understand how important creative practice is. For everybody, not just for the practitioners, but also for the public. There are always token gestures in the arts - big buildings, big galleries and museums but this is not what it's all about. The arts offer a spiritual element that our society needs. Particularly when it is fair to say our society is no longer so tied to religion as it was Everyone needs a spiritual outlet, whether they recognise this or not.
My motivation comes from the joy I take from what people make. I greatly admire creative people - not just visual artists but makers/creators across every discipline.
- In 5 years’ time, I hope I will still be doing what I'm doing most of the time, promote art, write and curate exhibitions.
- If I had 15 minutes of fame, I would find a platform to get the Government to understand how important creative practice is. For everybody, not just for the practitioners, but also for the public. There are always token gestures in the arts - big buildings, big galleries and museums but this is not what it's all about. The arts offer a spiritual element that our society needs. Particularly when it is fair to say our society is no longer so tied to religion as it was Everyone needs a spiritual outlet, whether they recognise this or not.
- Who was your first role-model?
- My first role model was my mother. She was a very thorough woman, a thinker and very loving, family was very important and we were and remain a close-knit bunch. She read voluminously was incredibly supportive of what we did. She was also a good critic; she read every single essay that I wrote and she would always pick up on things, challenging my thinking and expression.
- What is your favourite book now?
- Nowadays, I read a lot of non-fiction books. I have also started reading the literature of the inter-war period. The New York Review of Books (which I subscribe to) has a book club that offers fantastic books of this period by authors I have often not heard of before. I re-read Jane Austen regularly every couple of years, I always have. I love Jane Austen and I love 18th century English (in particular) culture. I have particular interests in landscape; and initially that interest was in the English landscape; in both painting and theories of landscape.
The living room/library at our house is painted in a green that it took me ages to find. It’s an 18th century English green. I won’t let that room be painted any other colour.
The 18th century is a period I like a lot; not just the art but also the literature and the architecture.
- My only regret is not having a partner until quite late and that work always mattered more.
- I feel at peace at home; I hate travelling. Home is my special place where I can unwind and relax, I can write and plan.
- How did you become passionate about arts?
- When I was in school we could not do art. However the year before finishing high school, there was this exhibition of contemporary American painting at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Together with two friends, we skipped the sports class and went to see it. It wasn't the done thing, for three prefects to skip school, but we did it anyway. I found the exhibition rather disquieting; I thought much of the work odd. I hadn’t had much exposure to abstract art or contemporary art generally. I remember this black painting by Ad Reinhardt. I stood there looking at it for maybe 15 minutes. It was a long time for anybody to engage with a single artwork. Somehow, this painting has always stayed with me. Much later when I was studying Fine Arts my art degree – we did contemporary art first. This was followed by 19th and 18th century art, and tback to the Renaissance. It was for me a good way to study art history. It led us to ask “how did we get here?”.I certainly enjoyed it. The Ad Reinhardt painting came back to me and it was what got me into art history.
Then, archaeology taught me to look at art in a different way. Everyone did the same course in the first year and you had to get above a certain mark then you were allowed to go into the Honours stream. The first week of 2nd year Honours, we went into the laboratory and we were given pieces of ceramic from Jericho. Sydney University had worked with Cambridge in the Jericho digs in the 30’s and 40’s and they had a substantial collection of shards. We were given a shard from a pot that was over 3000 years old. It just fascinated me and I remember it really well.
I loved dealing with objects during my archaeology studies, that is why I still like ceramics a lot. Archaeology taught me about objects. I can still tell just by looking at a shard whether it’s from Corinth or from Athens for example. I learned to look and not feel threatened by objects. I think that is why that Ad Reinhardt painting kept coming back to me, because I didn’t know what to do with it – there was just this black square when in fact it was much more than that. So, archaeology brought me to art in a sort of circuitous way
The living room/library at our house is painted in a green that it took me ages to find. It’s an 18th century English green. I won’t let that room be painted any other colour.
The 18th century is a period I like a lot; not just the art but also the literature and the architecture.
- My only regret is not having a partner until quite late and that work always mattered more.
- I feel at peace at home; I hate travelling. Home is my special place where I can unwind and relax, I can write and plan.
- How did you become passionate about arts?
- When I was in school we could not do art. However the year before finishing high school, there was this exhibition of contemporary American painting at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Together with two friends, we skipped the sports class and went to see it. It wasn't the done thing, for three prefects to skip school, but we did it anyway. I found the exhibition rather disquieting; I thought much of the work odd. I hadn’t had much exposure to abstract art or contemporary art generally. I remember this black painting by Ad Reinhardt. I stood there looking at it for maybe 15 minutes. It was a long time for anybody to engage with a single artwork. Somehow, this painting has always stayed with me. Much later when I was studying Fine Arts my art degree – we did contemporary art first. This was followed by 19th and 18th century art, and tback to the Renaissance. It was for me a good way to study art history. It led us to ask “how did we get here?”.I certainly enjoyed it. The Ad Reinhardt painting came back to me and it was what got me into art history.
Then, archaeology taught me to look at art in a different way. Everyone did the same course in the first year and you had to get above a certain mark then you were allowed to go into the Honours stream. The first week of 2nd year Honours, we went into the laboratory and we were given pieces of ceramic from Jericho. Sydney University had worked with Cambridge in the Jericho digs in the 30’s and 40’s and they had a substantial collection of shards. We were given a shard from a pot that was over 3000 years old. It just fascinated me and I remember it really well.
I loved dealing with objects during my archaeology studies, that is why I still like ceramics a lot. Archaeology taught me about objects. I can still tell just by looking at a shard whether it’s from Corinth or from Athens for example. I learned to look and not feel threatened by objects. I think that is why that Ad Reinhardt painting kept coming back to me, because I didn’t know what to do with it – there was just this black square when in fact it was much more than that. So, archaeology brought me to art in a sort of circuitous way
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