1995 School Magazine

6rrls' @ratnmar Scbool GrigbnnP 1995

even when Godlrey Rivers took ieave of absence to visit England in 1989, his place w-as taken byJ. Martyn Roberts, and Miss Edith Anderson (BGGS pupil 1895, who was later Mrs Penleigh-Boyd) who had been recommended for the position by Godfrey Rivers himself, assisted in the department 1899 - 7904. Rivers was followed at School by Nina Stodart (student 1897') - a fine practising artist who resigned to further her career overseas after having overseen the opening of the first specially designed art room at the School in tl're new'Western \7ing in July 1915. Its beautiful high ceilings, and half clrcr-rlar windows were described by the School Inspector in 7917 as "the largest and best class-room possessed by any school in the State". These regular reports to the Department of Public Instruction aiso state that "freehand drawing was studied by all classes - brushwork only by the lowest class and painting lessons were an extfa". Vera Cottew was appointed to the school in 7925 and in 1931 was to become its first full-time art mistress. She remained at the school :unti| 1947 . Miss Kathleen Lilley had commented on the inclusion of art in the curriculum in her first Annual Report. when announcing Miss Cottew's appolntment, remark- ing that - This branch of work, particularly Commercial Art, offers an almost entirely unexploited field for women workers, and it would be well for some of our pupils to divelt their training in this direction...

She was prompted to this obseruation probably by the spectacular successes of Frankie Payne, (Frances Mallalieu Payne BGGS 1897) whose commercial work had been featured ln "Art in Australia" in 191'9. Vera Cottew was much beloved, and the debt owed to her fol awakening an appreciation of the way light fa1ls on and transfigures objects permeates the poems written to her, the aftist accepting of "colour and crazy love", by Gwen Har-wood.

Fruit, flowers. In paint, they multiply the talents of yowr band artd eYe. in tbeir still life unite uanishecJ and Present light.

Vera Cottew brought a new dimension to the teaching of art - she introduced variety and excitement into the curriculum, and through an Art Club began teaching handicrafts and modelling, which was enthusiasticaliy acclaimed in the School Magazine. She also engendered a lasting appreciation of art and art history in all her students. Nonetheless the circumstances under which art was taught at this period today look very restricted. Gids sat at their desks, and instruction followed formal processes, with the finished size of works limited almost always to the capacity of their desk-top. In 1956. Mr Timmerman became the first man to be appointed a fu1l-time member of the staff, a circumstance of some note, even after so many years of 'Visiting Masters'. It was under Timmerman's encouragement the Art Group (open to those not studying afi) was revived, and he progressed to the provision of visiting iecturers, illuminated talks and arranged sketching excursions. Howevet, it was not until Art became a lull Board Sublect under the Radford Scheme in the 1970's, that the status of the subject began to improve in the predominately academic climate withln the school. One of Grammar's most ambitior-rs undertakings in the art department was initiated through the generosity of Dr Cathryn and Miss Margaret Mittelheuser. Visiting'artists-in-residence', commencing with Virginia Cuppaidge in 1986 and contlnuing

Ver.t Cotteu ancl students

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