[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A5CECD;”] B [/dropcap]oy, we have some talented school teachers in South-West Victoria.

Not only do they have the exhausting and often unappreciated task of fronting up to a classroom each day to teach, but they are often also writers, poets, musicians and novelists in their “spare” time.

This week, Michaelie Clark from Warrnambool Books has chosen a book by Emmanuel College teacher, poet and novelist James Laidler, who is rapidly building the sort of CV that makes your eyes water, such is the spectrum of his talent. Here is Michaelie’s summary of his latest work:

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A5CECD;”] S[/dropcap]et in Warrnambool, and incorporating some of the city’s most famous landmarks, Pulling Down the Stars is the second novel by award-winning local author, James Laidler.

Infused with vignettes and the evocative language that defines Laidler’s style, the book bridges teen and adult themes and spans genres with its eclectic mix of humour, romance, drama and suspense.

The story revolves around Charlie, a young psychiatric nurse living with his widower father and stroke-affected grandfather. Burdened with the dysfunction and responsibilities of his family, as well as the guilt of wanting to be free to do as he pleases, shy, deep-thinking Charlie finds an outlet in his song-writing while he waits for life to look up.

Instead, his life is turned upside-down when he meets Maxine, a spiky, hot-blooded surfer-girl who works at the local abattoir in order to rebel against her well-to-do parents. Thrown together by unconventional circumstances, a trust and understanding slowly builds between Charlie and Maxine, but unbeknownst to either of them, there is a dangerous threat lurking in their midst…

Find out more about James via his website.

And congratulations to Warrnambool Books for taking out the social media prize at the recent Warrnambool Small Business Awards!

[box] Keep up to date with new releases from Warrnambool Books Facebook page. [/box]

 Catch up on our other Bookmarks…

The lighter side of teaching 

At last, a cookbook you can use! 

Ben Sanders: Retro meets whimsy

Gorgeous working dogs

Getting fit the fun way with Marie Bean

Can Paul Jennings put a foot wrong?

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] W [/dropcap]hat we love about our quiet hero section is that we get to celebrate people doing things that might not always make the news: the small things, the little things that often go unnoticed or happen without much fuss.

This week our quiet heroes are Claire and Tony Drylie, who are well-known around Warrnambool for their kindness, their cheerfulness and, in recent years, their involvement in the grassroots arts scene.

While Claire is an artist, Tony is usually not far from the action, helping keep track of the finances (as he did with the former Quarry studio), or carting some piece of equipment from here to there in his four-wheel drive.

In the past few days, the pair has been involved in putting the final touches to an art project Claire has developed with art teacher Kathryn McMeel at St Joseph’s Primary School, where each of the 180 children in grades five and six have created small ‘portrait’ boxes that they have fitted out with objects that they believe capture who they are.

Imagine a chocolate box, without the lid, and a tiny, individual world created inside: a child’s world.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] W [/dropcap]orking from an industrial shed at the back of a Warrnambool business, Tony has assembled and painted a 2-point-something metre display board in bright red, upon which Claire has been methodically gluing the boxes in preparation for their display at the school within the next fortnight.

(Ryan’s Removals have kindly agreed to deliver the display board which simply won’t fit in Tony’s four-wheel drive, no matter how hard he tries).

The final display is going to look spectacular.

Artists working with children has to be one of the most mutually beneficial relationships in existence and that is why Claire and Tony, and those like them, are our quiet heroes for this week.

[box] Our Quiet Hero will receive a coffee and cake voucher from this week’s sponsor Lozzar’s Lounge Cafe, Warrnambool – thankyou Lozzar’s. [/box]

Meet some of our other quiet heroes…

Susie Alexander fights cancer…and aims for a fun run 

Holden Club helps out

Caring for the environment

Embracing diversity

AS one of South-West Victoria’s most successful and prolific artists, Glenn Morgan could have easily become pompous and aloof, but instead he remains refreshingly down to earth and committed to his home town.

Glenn’s quirky style is instantly recognisable, with many of his paintings and sculptures exuding a whimsical, cartoon-like quality that belies the often serious political or social message within.

Others capture our national obsession with sport – an obsession Glenn shares when it comes to the Geelong Football Club – and many are witty or off-beat, like Glenn himself. But while Glenn’s talent has been well documented, Bluestone wanted to ask him about the importance of inspiring and supporting emerging artists.

It is a topic for which he is well qualified, as in addition to his own art career, Glenn taught art at both secondary school and tertiary level in Warrnambool and encouraged dozens of students to develop their artistic talents.

As a result, rarely do you meet an artist from South-West Victoria who has not been taught by Glenn, knows him as a friend, or used his story as inspiration.

“I have always considered teaching to be a privilege. Not just because it was a job – and you can’t take that for granted – but because it sharpens your brain as an artist,” he said.

“When you are working among students, solving problems, it soon makes you realise that you are learning as much from them as they are from you.”

Glenn, who was born in Allansford, remembers his own student days at the Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education (now South-West TAFE) when the art class would do some of their best thinking and sharing of ideas in the pub across the road.

“It is that communal thing. My best classes, as a teacher, were the ones where we were all jammed in a classroom, sharing ideas, talking about ideas: that’s where the good stuff happens.”

Watching students being “bitten on the arse by the art bug” was one of his greatest pleasures as a teacher.

“Art is medicine. It gives people something to do with their head. To work things out.

“I remember my father-in-law would make furniture. He would disappear into the shed and be completely lost in it. We all need something like that.”

One of the critical elements of Glenn’s teaching was to urge students to step out into the world and take a show to Melbourne.

“By getting out there and seeing that your work is just as good, if not better, than anybody else’s…it makes a huge difference. I wanted my students to see Melbourne as just another place.”

Glenn lived in Melbourne for three years, as a post-grad student, but secured his first teaching post back in Warrnambool and has never left. He loves the lifestyle and the friendliness of the community.

The community, in turn, loves him back.

In 2009, one of Glenn’s favourite works – Banjo’s Funeral, which captured the funeral of local Aboriginal elder Banjo Clarke – was being sold by a Queensland couple who had bought it several years earlier.

A public fundraiser was held to try and buy the piece for the community and so many people made donations, some of the money had to be returned. The work is now held by the Warrnambool Art Gallery.

 If you enjoyed this story, you might enjoy…

Merran Koren: Carving out a creative life

From Panmure to Dubai: the art of Kathryn Ryan

Life through a surrealist lens: Berit Hampel

The sublime, intricate drawings of Ella Webb

Inspired by clay: the face behind Claybody ceramics

Let’s go back to 1987 – a year when hair was worn high, Bob Hawke was our Prime Minister, Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Peterson stepped down after 19 years (!!), the West Coast Eagles joined the AFL, and Hawthorn star Buddy Franklin was born. (Yikes, that last one makes me feel old: Carol)

This week’s Blue Tunes star was still making music, however, and still is.

On with the show…

 Would you like to hear more ‘Blue’ music? Listen on!

Joni Mitchell: Blue

Willie Nelson: Blue Skies

Indigo Girls: Tangled up in Blue

Emmylou Harris: Blue Kentucky Girl

Etta James: Misty Blue

Flunk: Blue Monday

Linda Ronstadt: Blue Bayou

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”] T [/dropcap]his week from Mum’s Drawer we have extracted an attractive brochure detailing how to brighten your home with Dulux paints.

More than 50 years after this pamphlet was printed, the retro-styling of the homes is very much back in vogue.

It is a little hard to read in this image, but the range of colours suggested for the lounge included nasturtium (ceiling), parchment (walls) and golf brown (walls).

Suggestions for the adult bedrooms – including those with two single beds – ranged from Nile green or pumpkin to Cloud pink and pewter.

Inspired?

Other treasures from Mum’s drawer…

Do you remember the Drive-In?

To Hoover or not to Hoover?

A well-travelled junket

Bowlin, bowlin’, bowlin’….

Lunch order, 1975?

signed, Fletcher Jones