Painter Bryant McDiven was born in Mildura, Victoria. After leaving school, he studied in the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and served in the Royal Australian Airforce in World War ll from 1943-1945, in both Canada and Britain.

He arrived in Western Australia in 1946. He undertook further study at Perth Technical College. while studying, he taught are at Claremont High School and then, from 1956, at Graylands Teachers College.

He exhibited “The Winning Goal”, in the Perth Prize for Contemporary Art, in 1956. He was President of the Perth Society of Artists 1955-1958 and 1961-1962. He won the Claude Hotchin Prize waterclours, in 1961, and the Bunbury prize in the same year.

He married potter, Teddye and they travelled widely in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and America. Their eldest son, John became a jewellery designer, with his own establishment.

Bryant McDiven – A personal reminiscence

Mel Livesey was a West Australian potter.

Mel advised the following majored in pottery at the WAIT and was one of Mike Kusnik’s first students. He went on to become one of the first pottery teachers in WA (along with Fred Stewart).

He was a Teacher at Claremont Teachers’ training college and taught at country schools. He then took up a position at Mt Lawley campus as an instructor in ceramic art. During this time he also worked with Joan Campbell at the Potters Workshop in Fremantle.

Mel Livesy ran the practical workshops at MLTC. His duties also entailed receiving and storing acquisition materials as well as providing assistance with the MLTC calendar and preparing silk-screened labels for the gardening project. He completed advanced certification in the areas of ceramics and jewellery making. He also conducted Raku pottery demonstration in York, Darlington and Hyde Park.

Anthony Jones is a well known Western Australian sculptor, teacher and arts advocate. Along with a team of volunteers, Tony has organised the Sculpture at Bathers exhibitions to celebrate the work of West Australian sculptors.

As a family, he lived on the river at Chidley Point in Mosman Park. He had a very enthusiastic Mum who encouraged him. He recalled at primary school that one of the happiest things for him was doing art. He remembered a primary school teacher saying to him that what he was doing was pretty special. He thought, that’ll do, I’m happy, tell Mum! At high school Tony loved art.

His interest in art developed through high school and teachers’ college. He had two good teachers, Bryant McDiven and John Fawcett. They were very encouraging. In 1964 he obtained his Teachers Certificate at Graylands Teachers College, followed in 1975 with an Associateship in Art Teaching from WAIT, now Curtin University. He got a high school teaching job and studied at Perth Tech.

He ended up getting an associateship in art teaching. It was a degree equivalent course. He started out wanting to be a painter but the painting side of things wasn’t working for him in that course. The sculptors who taught there created a more positive experience so he gravitated towards sculpture. That was just a fortuitous fork in the road. He hasn’t forgotten about painting and still draws a lot and can push colour around a bit with pastels and water colour.

Tony taught art for many years – at High Schools then at the Claremont Art School and in the TAFE system – until he retired from teaching and devoted himself full time to his work. ‘Full time’ is a bit of a misnomer really, as Tony was always wholly devoted to his work as a sculptor even when teaching art.

His work and commitment to the Arts has been well recognised. In 2008, Tony was awarded Citizen of the Year WA – Arts. In 2009, his contributions were recognised with the award of an OAM – Order of Australia Medal.

David Jones had exceptional artistic, teaching and organizational skills. He was popular with the students and made an outstanding contribution to graphic design for publication and general purposes. Examples of his work included: the cover design for the 1972 calendar, letter-head layouts and College crest designs for the Identification Committee and printing of the student club insignia.

Jennifer Allen from the Art Department needs a special mention for the massive effort she and her students gave to produce that magnificent wall hanging of the Mount Lawley College Crest, which was proudly displayed at the entrance above the stairs, leading to the upper floor of the main building. Jennifer also worked very closely with students to develop tactile art works for special children to explore. One of her tactile works, made for the Sutherland Blind School, was adopted by UNESCO and became part of UNESCO displays across the world.

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Born in the UK, John Blakely studied both in the ULK and in Zambia, becoming a painter and a teacher. He arrived in Perth in the early 1970s, where he undertook further studies at WAIT and lectured at MLTC. He is known for his paintings in charcoal and oxides and fibre sculptures in sisal, jute and mixed media.

Jan Ormerod (Hendry), was born in Bunbury, Western Australia. was an Australian illustrator of children’s books. She was a compulsive drawer from early childhood, inspired by American comics and “beautifully drawn schoolgirl annuals from England”.

At art school in Perth, she learned to look closely and record honestly; she described herself as “obsessed with the human face, figure and gesture”. She first came to prominence from her wordless picture book Sunshine which won the 1982 Mother Goose Award.

After graduating from art college in Perth,  she taught art enrichment courses in secondary schools. She later lectured at a MLTC and art schools and produced work for more than 50 books throughout her career. She died of cancer aged 66.

Gareth Morse was an influential Welsh-Australian landscape painter and draughtsman, art teacher, academic, art critic. He enjoyed semiotic theory and painting and photography and art and life and how they were all reflective of each other.

Morse began a teaching career in 1956. In 1971 he became Head of Department of Art and Design, Henbury School, Henbury, Bristol, England. Morse emigrated with his family to Perth, Western Australia in 1975. From 1975-1982 he lectured in art education at Mount Lawley College of Advanced Education. From 1982-1987 he was Foundation Head of Department, Art and Design, Western Australian College of Advanced Education (WACAE). The Western Australian College of Advanced Education (WACAE) was established on 1 January 1982 following the amalgamation of Claremont Teacher’s College, Churchlands College of Advanced Education, Mt Lawley Teacher’s College and Nedlands College of Advanced Education. He continued as co-ordinator of Post-graduate studies from 1987-1989, before taking early retirement in 1990.

His works, large in scale, heavily textured and full of superb colour are profound reflections on space, land, memory, experience and the vastness of country.

He died peacefully on 31 July, 2023, at the age of 91.

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