This is a multi part series because of the quantity of photos.
Photos are by me, Runningonempty, and all copyright. Copies by request to my email, as they will be better quality.
The text of this post was written by Acerules, who is a 15 year old Australian girl, and are her own impressions.
Hey, it's Acerules
I just wanted to add to what Jabiru just mentioned.
The sanctuary was a peaceful and serene park with extraordinary pieces of clay moulded into the rocks and stones.
The statues were so lifelike in their depictions of aboriginal spirit. It was interesting to see the aboriginal people portrayed that way, I hadn't really thought of them to be so integrated with earth and wildlife but I suppose it's true. The way the figures softly melted into the earth certainly shows that.
(Editor's note, look carefully)
William Ricketts, below:
I remember laughing with my father at how strange William Ricketts sounded when he talked on the video about his connection with the aboriginal people. However, when I think about it, such an old race that is in tune with the wilderness from centuries of cohabitation, it wasn't so strange. It was an artist talking about his art and his belief in his art. If we didn't understand, then maybe we weren't meant to comprehend until we tried the aboriginal way of life.
(Photographer's note, vandalised sculpture relief:)
William:
William:
William created these amazing pieces of art that are his view on the aboriginal way of cohabitation with wildlife and with the earth. If he got it wrong he still got closer to understanding that bond than you or I.
I love that everything he made was done by hand. You can't imagine how long that would have taken even using the giant kiln that he had.
He made plaster casts of the rocks then used cement to stick the clay sculptures to the rocks.
He believed in nature and wildlife, not industrialisation and machines. Wealth was not a motivator like it is for a lot of people. He just wanted everyone to see what he saw in the aboriginal race.
By Acerules. Photos copyright by Runningonempty, sharper copies on request.
Part 3 follows, where William addresses white colonialism and destruction.
3 comments:
I have poured, cleaned and fired porcelain. I can somewhat appreciate how intricate the process was to create the sculptures. Sometimes the firing can end up being the demise of a piece. There is not only artistry but a lot of practical mechanics in his sanctuary. Thank you for the tour...
That place looks stunning. I love all the ferns and tall trees. Looks like a great day out.
That's true, Kathy. The works are vandalised in some places, and at risk of cracking from bushfires. He had another sanctuary in the outback that was vandalised too.
Some of his works are for sale, though he never got rich from the stuff he sold, it is out there with a google search. A bit undervalued, IMO, probably until the fashion for representative art swings around again.
Dan, the bush there is but a taste of the real Aussie bush. I will send you a link to a national park called Tarra Bulga In our area, which has similar species and much more. The Aussie Mountain Ash trees here are the best sequesters of carbon in the world, studies have shown, and you can't see the tops of them without falling over backwards, they are so huge. A wonderful place to see and hear wildlife, and to feel the spirits of the Aboriginals who were there before us, for 40,000 years. I feel them around waterholes, what you might call a deep pond, around our district they sometimes have big waterfalls.
It is a very beautiful part of Aus, where I live.
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