Ceramicist, Eleonora Marčiulionis

Eleonora Lukštytė was born in Tauragnai in the region of Utena on 12 April 1912.  She graduated from the Kaunas School of Art in 1937.  To further enhance her skills, Eleonora attended the School of Ceramics in Bechynė in the Czech Republic.  Returning to Lithuania in 1938, she was appointed ceramics instructor at the Kaunas School of Fine Crafts until 1944. 

She married Aleksander Marčiulionis, a fellow lecturer at the school of art and sculptor.   They had a daughter, Daiva born in 1942, and a son Ramunas in 1944, both born in Lithuania.  The family left Lithuania in 1944, making their way to Germany.  From 1946 to 1949 Eleonora worked as a lecturer at the l’Ecole des Arts et Metieres at Freiburg-im-Breisgau (School of Art), along with other artists that fled Lithuania.  During this time, she was commissioned by Lithuanians to create a vase for the British Royal family. 

The family migrated to Australia arriving in Melbourne on the ship Skaugum, on the 31 May 1949. They were taken to Bonegilla Migrant Camp in New South Wales, before being transferred to Woodside Migrant camp in Adelaide.  Another child was born in Australia in 1950.  

Eleonora spent a lifetime working in ceramics. She chose this medium early in life, participating in exhibitions since 1937.  She became known for her use of bright, vivid colours in her clay sculptures. Most of her works are three-dimensional or framed bas-reliefs. The subject matter ranges from nature to biblical themes. Her vases and figurines (which she sometimes dresses in Lithuanian folk costumes) are vehicles for expression of her ethnicity.

Although Eleonora and Aleksandras involved themselves in the Adelaide art scene and were members of the Royal south Australian Society of Arts, they were disappointed with the lack of artistic opportunities here.  The family decided to migrate to America, leaving Australia on 26 January 1956.

She passed away on 18 December 2001 in Chicago.

Believed to be the work of Eleonora.  This work is unsigned but fits her style. 

From the collection of Zamoiskis family, donated to the Australian Lithuanian Archive.

 References

Lithuanian artists in Australia 1950 – 1990, by Genovaite Kazokas (2003)

https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/eleonora-marciulioniene/

LITUANUS LITHUANIAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
 Volume 34, No. 4 - Winter 1988, Editor of this issue: Antanas Klimas