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

Šaruno Marciulionio Basketball Academy

Basketball to a Lithuanian is known as the second religion.  Australian Lithuanians also embraced the love of this sport, so much so that when a youth basketball team from Šaruno Marciulionio Basketball Academy came to Australia in 1990 it was a big deal. 

A boy’s youth team arrived in Adelaide on 11 March with their sponsors and Zita Mačiulionyte, Šarunas’ sister.  They arrived to Adelaide heat, maybe not hot for those who grew up here but coming from Lithuania the 35 degrees would have been felt.  Aged between 16-18 years the team played several games in Adelaide against the SA Sports Institute.  The first game was won by the Lithuanians by 4 points, 71-67. The second game held on the 13^th at Seymour College which they won, 90-79.  The third and final game began poorly for the Lithuanians, being 14 points behind before they scored.  They pulled together and again managed to win 78-69.  The Lithuanians played a friendly match against Adelaide Vytis again winning.  Following the game, the players returned to Lithuanian house for a meal and camaraderie with the Adelaide community members.

On the 15^th, Adelaide bid goodbye to the team as they caught a bus to Sydney. 
I can remember the tshirts and pendants given out by the players, orange and black featuring an eagle. Like the one below for the Academy’s opening in Vilnius.  The Academy is still running. http://www.krepsinioakademija.lt

Š. Marčiulionis is one of the best Lithuanian basketball players of all time. He was a first player to go to the NBA from the Soviet Union, and one of the first European players to enter the NBA. Šarūnas is a cavalier of the 1st, 3rd and 4th Order of Vytautas the Great, and Order of the Badge of Honour.

 

 

Lithuanian Artists in Adelaide

Genovaite Kazokas, author of the book "Lithuanian artists in Australia 1950 - 1990", writes that Adelaide comprised the largest number of artists in Australia who had completed formal art training. Some had gained qualifications in Lithuania, two graduated from the L'Ecole des Arts et Metiers. Over the next few weeks I plan to highlight some of these artists.

Rosemary ALIUKONIS, Painter, graphic artist, film maker
Alfonsas BUDRYS, Photographer
Borisas BORJERAS, Cartoonist
Rimas DAUGALIS,
Aurimas DUMCIUS, Sculptor, ceramists and painter
Vilia DUNDA, Ceramist
Balys GREBLIUNAS, sculptor
Vytas KAPOCIUNAS, Painter, sculptor
Algirdas KUDIRKA, Painter, stage decorator, graphic and poker work artist
Aleksandras MARCIULIONIS, sculptor
Eleonora MARCIULIONIS, ceramist
Balys MILAKNIS, sculptor
Brone MOCKUNAS, Painter
Stasys NELIUBSYS, Painter
Ieva POCIUS, sculptor
Jonas RUDZINSKAS, painter, sculptor, stained glass
Mecys RUDZENSKAS, Painter
Antanas RUKSTELE, painter
Vaclovas RYDLINSKIS, Painter
Pranas SAVENIS, Painter
Vytas SERELIS, Painter
Ziba VILMANIS, Painter, book illustrator
Vytautas VOSYLIUS, photographer
Leonas ZYGAS, painter

The Theatre Studio

The Lithuanian Theatre studio was formed in 1956 in Adelaide, and as its name implies the purpose is not for an amateur production of stage plays, but for a school of dramatic art gradually bringing its actors to a standard of Professional Theatre.

The Theatre-Studio has based its work on the system “The actor is the creator of fantasy”, therefore it looks to the actor’s individual performance above all production requirements.

In their work each actor must perform various characters and never be a character of his own. This means that the Theatre-Studio is always searching for greater artistic expression.

To act before Australian audiences in English is one of the hardest tasks for the Lithuanian Theatre-Studio, but at the same time it has provided its members with a new approach and enabled them to gain further experience.

The Director Mr J Gucius, is a student of Mr A Sutkus, one of the assistants of the famous theatre notationist Mr F.F Kommissarjevsky. Mr Gucius graduated at High Studio of Dramatic Art supported by the Ministry of Education in Lithuania.

The Theatre-Studio is greatly assisted by Mr A Marciulionis with his settings for the Studio’s productions.

Lithuanian Theatre-Studio has in its repertoire nine plays beside the One Act plays to be presented during the Festival Season of the Studio Theatre. Among them “R.U.R” a drama by K Capek, “The Boor”, a comedy by A Checkov and several other plays by Lithuanian authors.

Studio Theatre programme 1960