Kudirka gifts Australian Doctor his artwork

 Our 28 February post about artist Algirdas Kudirka, 1915–1980, caught the eye of Beth Robertson in Adelaide, who has shared this photograph and information.

This poker work ‘Australia’ by Algirdas Kudirka has had pride of place in our family home for 60 years. It is dedicated to my father ‘Dr. S. Robertson’,  Thorburn Stirling Brailsford Robertson, 1925–1966.
 
My father was a doctor who achieved sobriety after being admitted to Northfield Mental Hospital (later Hillcrest Hospital) in 1960 as a certified patient for alcohol and drug addiction. He came under the treatment of Dr Bill Salter, whose therapeutic approach included an Alcoholics Anonymous group at the hospital. Dr Salter supported my father’s appointment as a medical officer and he worked with addicts and AA groups at both Hillcrest and Yatala for the six years until his death aged 40. He was known as ‘Doc Robbie’ to most people.
 
My late mother told us that the artist was one of our father’s patients. I understand that Algirdas Kudirka is remembered as suffering from alcoholism. With the poker work dated 1963, he was probably a patient at Hillcrest Hospital at that time.
 
The poker work’s dimensions are 63cm x 50.5cm x 1cm. It is very striking with the adoption of Aboriginal motifs, the curious shaping of the continent of Australia (with the artist’s name worked into Tasmania) and the inversion of fishes over the landmass.
 

I would love to know whether anyone in the Lithuanian community has knowledge of Algirdas Kudirka’s time/s at Hillcrest (or Yatala). This could be by commenting on this post or sending me information privately via Daina. It could add to the story of the artwork as well as my father’s legacy.

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

Baltic Convention, Adelaide 1968

To commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the proclamation of Independence of the Baltic counties in 1918, a Baltic week was held throughout Australia from 1^st to 8^th of June 1968.  Functions arranged for that week included Remembrance Services and concerts, exhibitions of Art and crafts, Baltic food display and tasking and social evening.

The Baltic convention was held on the 1^st June in Adelaide as part of Baltic Week.  Held at Latvian house the convention was attended by 98 delegates (35 Estonians, 35 Latvians and 28 Lithuanians) representing communities in Adelaide Melbourne and Sydney.

Mr A Krausas (Lithuanian member from Melbourne) summed up the aims,

To strengthen the resistance and ties of the Baltic nations in their fight for freedom, culture is the best weapon.

Being without our countries and armies, the only way we ca strive for freedom is through cultural media. 

All three of us working together will have a better chance to be heard and our voices of protest will be stronger.  All of us are suffering the same cruel fate and our countries are smothered by the communist regime.  We must try and save our cultural heritage, so that it does not fade, but make it flourish and grow stronger and more meaningful than ever.

To achieve this we must;

Try to send as many young people as possible to gain higher education.

Try to translate classics and other noteworthy works into each other’s language.

Try to have a chair for Baltic Studies in at least one Australian university.

Parents should teach their children to be proud of their nationality, let the children have a dual nationality, let them assimilate the best to each culture.

Items discussed were how the communities could work together to promote the history and traditions of their countries.  Discussions mentioned the formation of a Baltic Art Association even a of a Baltic arts and crafts museum. 

The convention notes were collated and printed in a booklet.

Bicentenary gift to Australia

Artist Ieva Pocius with the statue

Australian Lithuanian Community Bicentenary gift to Australia

A memorial to represent Australia’s welcoming and providing a good life to the migrants.  What will remain to represent Lithuanian life in Australia.  The idea of donating a sculpture by an Australian Lithuanian sculptor was first raised by Dr Ben Vingilis in 1984 and formerly adopted by the Australian Lithuanian Federal Council in 1986.

A committee was established to raise funds and to call for expression of interstate form sculptors.

The artist chosen was Ieva Pocius, well known Adelaide sculptor.  Her piece was based on Eglė the Queen of Serpents which is considered one of the best-known Lithuanian fairy tales. The twelve foot bronze statue stands on a large piece of granite located at Glebe Park, corner of Ballumbir and Akuna Streets, Canberra.

The statue was unveiled by Hon Ros Kelly, M.P Member for Canberra, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel.

Artist: Ieva Pocius

Casted by Bruce Sutherland

Technical advice: Rimas Kabaila and engineer Romas Katauskas

Chairman of the organising committee: Victor Martisius

Artistic Advisor: Eva Kubbos

Publicity: Juras Kovalskis

Finance: Dr Ben Vingilis

Fundraising committee: Augis Zamoiskis (Adelaide)

The story

A young girl named Eglė discovers a serpent in her clothes after bathing with her two sisters. Speaking in a human voice, the serpent agrees to go away only after Eglė pledges herself to him in exchange for his leaving the clothes, not realising the possible consequences. Three days pass, and thousands of serpents come for the bride, but are tricked by her relatives each time. A goose, a sheep and a cow are given instead but the cuckoo warns about the deceit. Enraged serpents return for a final time and take Eglė with them to the bottom of the sea to their master.

Instead of seeing a serpent, Eglė meets her bridegroom Žilvinas, a handsome human - the Serpent Prince. They live together happily and bear four children, until Eglė decides to visit home and her husband denies her permission. In order to be allowed to visit home, Eglė is required to fulfil three impossible tasks: to spin a never-ending tuft of silk, wear down a pair of iron shoes and to bake a pie with no utensils. After she gets advice from the sorceress and succeeds, Žilvinas reluctantly lets Eglė and the children go.

After meeting the long lost family members, Eglė's relatives do not wish to let them back to the sea and decide to kill Žilvinas. His sons are are threatened and beaten by their uncles, in order to try to disclose how to summon their father; however, they remain silent and do not betray him. Finally, a frightened daughter discloses it:"Žilvinas, dear Žilvinas, If you are alive – may the sea foam milk. If you are dead – may the sea foam beblood…"

The twelve brothers call Žilvinas the Serpent from the sea and kill him using scythes.

The worried Eglė calls her husband, but unfortunately only foam of blood comes from the sea. When Eglė discovers that her beloved is dead, as a punishment for betrayal she turns her children and herself into trees - the sons into strong trees, an oak, an ash and a birch, whereas the daughter was turned into a quaking aspen. Finally, Eglė transformed herself into a spruce.

Balt artist at Woodside - Rukstele

The painting which hangs in the foyer of the Adelaide
Lithuanian House

TOP - A SYMBOLIC Oil painting by Antanas Rukstele foremost Lithuanian artist, now at Woodside Migration Centre, depicting the effort by thousands of Lithuanians to escape when the Russians invaded their country. A woman is shown clutching a handful ofher native soil before embarking. LEFT Rukstele with his wife, Helene, and their three children Beatrice (10), Saulius(8), and Raminta (12).

Antanas Rukstele, one of Lithuania's best known artists, is now a displaced person at Woodside migration centre.After years of wandering almost penniless with his wife and three children, tall, thin faced, 42-year-old Rukstele hopes Australia is "journey'send."In Lithuania before the Russian invasion he was a popular portrait painter and landscape artist. His minimum price fora portrait was £27/10/, and special portraits brought £50. When the Russians came Rukstele, who was a strong anti-Communist, gathered his family and fled. To have remained would have been certain death.

They walked out of their home without even a suitcase.Their only possessions were the clothes they were wearing. Ultimately they got to Germany, where Rukstele was drafted to labouring work. After the war he was discovered by UNRRA and set up in a studio, where he painted portraits of scores of American servicemen. "My waiting room was crowded like a dentist's parlour", he said.  Rukstele said he would be happy to work for two years as a labourer in Australia. Then he would like to take up painting again. He intends to study our art and believes both our artists and he can benefit from an interchange of ideas. Tomorrow, he will hold an exhibition of about 30 of his pictures in the camp to mark the official opening of Woodside as a migration centre. Arrangements are being made for Hans Heysen to see his work.

Rukstele painting of Elder Park

I wonder where this painting has ended up?

The Adelaide News, 16 March 1950

How Rukstele sees Australia

HOW A MIGRANT ARTIST SEES AUSTRALIA

Anthony Rūkštelė, a new Australian who has formerly exhibited in several 'mixed' shows in Adelaide, now has a one-man exhibition of his water colours at Curzon Gallery, Gawler place.

It is chiefly interesting as an example of how one European reacts to the' Australian light and scene and his subjects, mostly of places in and round Adelaide and a few in Sydney, make easy one's assessment of Rūkštelė’s first impressions of his adopted country.

He has recorded them with a strictly matter-of-fact approach, as though feeling his way into the new and strange conditions.   Further familiarity with them will no doubt afford enhanced perception and greater facility of expression.  
The most successful of the local subjects are 'Preparing for the Race' and 'Kingston Park Beach.' There are others of King William street, St. Peter's Cathedral, and the City Bridge.  
Several European studies give a truer idea of Rūkštelė talent, as, for example, 'Bavarian Landscape' and a street in Dillingen (uncatalogued).  
The pictures will be on view until March 28. — Esmond George.  

The Advertiser Saturday May 18th 1950    

The Governor viewed the exhibition.

“Refugees’ hangs in the entrance foyer to Lithuanian house in Adelaide.

 The family departed Australia on 3 June 1955 for America, where they remained. 

Antanas married Elena born 29 October 1906 died 20 April 1988 in California.  Elena was a singer and gave numerous performances while in Adelaide.  On one occasion she sang French songs for the Françoise Alliance.

Children:
1. Raminta Marija born 18 July 1935 in Kaunas.  Attended St Dominic’s Priory school.
2. Egle born 1 Feb 1939 in Kaunas. Attended St Dominic’s Priory school.
3. Saulius born 26 March 1941

References
Zarasai Library website
http://www.zarasubiblioteka.lt/rukstele.htm
Family Search
bankovky-mince.blog.c z/.../litevske-uprchlicke-tabory-taborova-platidla-cast-druha
National Archives of Australia
Lithuanian Artists in Australia 1950 – 1990 by Genovaite Kazokas
TROVE website

Antanas Rukstele artist. Exhibition review

Pleasing Art Exhibition by New Australian

The exhibition of watercolours by Anthony Rūkštelė, to be opened this afternoon by Mrs. T. Slaney Poole at the Curzon Gallery, will confirm the widely expressed opinion that the influx of New Australians from Eastern Europe will prove to be a valuable asset in the cultural life of this State.

Anthony Rūkštelė hails from Kaunas, Lithuania, where he was an art teacher in the National Museum. Although he has only been here for something less than a year he has already assimilated the Australian atmosphere and bids fair to becoming a leading artist.

He has the true artist's eye for beauty, and his subjects in both oils and watercolours are selected with confidence and experience. His work is clean, and decisive, restrained where necessary, and always delightful in composition and colour.  Though the exhibition under review is confined to watercolours, he is equally good in oils and more in this medium will no doubt be seen at some future date.

Though many of the seascapes and landscapes portray familiar scenes in and around Adelaide, patrons will probably see fresh beauties in these.  By reason of the smoothness and softness with which they are handled.

'In the South Parklands' is nice composition and has pleasing colour tone in the well-modelled trees.  'Kingston Park' is another delightful colour study, with its wide sands, and a quiet sea, and a few figures carefully introduced.

Views of 'Adelaide Town Hall.' 'St. Peters Cathedral.' and 'City Bridge' are correctly draughted, and true to colour suggestions and detail.  'King William Street.' is also an at tractive scene.

A group in 'Children' is natural, and picturesque, and both foreground and background help the general effect. The beauties of Sydney Harbour have evidently appealed very strongly to this artist, and 'Afternoon in Sydney Harbor,' and 'Manly Beach. Sydney.' are among some of the best on the walls.

Rūkštelė has also included some exquisite scenes of home spots. 'Valley in the Bavarian Alps' and 'Late Chiemsee' are particularly attractive, the blue shades in the Alps expressing the cold atmosphere being most realistic.

Rūkštelė shows his versatility in several figure subjects, both nude and clothed, and these have been care fully modelled, and due attention, given to flesh tints.  In 'The Violinist.' the concentration of the musician is particularly well-expressed.

Art lovers will find a lot to admire in this exhibition, which will be open until March 28.

The Advertiser, Wednesday 15 March 1950

Antanas Rukstele - Artist

Antanas Rukstele

Born 22 October 1906 in Degučiai, Zarasai district, Lithuania.  
Died 5th October 1990 California, USA.

Painter, art historian,ethnographer and founder of an art school in Germany. President of the Adelaide Lithuanian Community Council 1950-52.

In 1928 he finished school in Kaunas. In 1929 he graduated from Kaunas Art School. Later he studied painting privately with J. Kalpokas and J. Mackevičių.  Between 1928 - 1929 he studied Advanced information technologies. Between 1926 - 1936 studied history and philosophy at Kaunas‘ Vytautas Magnus University. In 1934 he receives Swedish Baltic Institute (Stockholm), scholarship, graduated in ethnology and museology courses. 1926 to 1936, was MK Čiurlionis gallery and museum curator. Between 1936 - 1944 he was Vytautas the Great Museum of Culture board member of the Lithuanian National History Museum instructor.

Antanas with his wife Elena and three children fled the Soviet occupiers of Lithuania and made their way to Germany.  Two years later he established an art school in Dillingen refugee camp and was its Director and teacher until 1949.

The Lithuanian camp in Ludwig was part of Dillingen UNRRA field team 308th.  Antanas designed the money for the Ludwig's camp.  Tender was issued in two copies on white paper, and the other on light purple paper. Tender was issued with a value of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 50 units (units).

The design is based on the Lithuanian tulip motif, which together with UNRRA sign, is printed in green ink. Text and numbers are printed in red.  All the tender have the same design on the obverse is the inscription LITHUANIAN CENTER DP LUDWIG Dillingen / UNRRA UNITS / TEAM 308th.

He and his family left Germany bound for Australia on the ship Oxfordshire arriving on the 25th May 1949.  They were transferred to Woodside migrant camp in the Adelaide hills.  It was here  he held his first solo exhibition of watercolours in Australia, most of which he had painted in Germany.

Antanas held a number of solo exhibitions in Australia, in 1950, 1952, 1953, in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. 

His first solo exhibition was held in March 1950 in the Curzon Gallery in Gawler Place.  It was reviewed several times in the local newspaper.

'A new Australian's impressions of his new country will be given in an exhibition of water colours by Antanas Rūkštelė, opening at the Curzon theatrette, Gawler place, tomorrow.
Rūkštelė, who is a Lithuanian, is the first migrant to give his own art exhibition in this State.

Rūkštelė’s exhibition will mainly consist of South Australian scenes and pictures painted of the Danube and the Bavarian Alps during his five years in Germany. '

More to follow...

Algirdas Kudirka - artist

Painter, Stage Director, graphic and poker work artist.

Born in St Petersburg in 1915, he and his parents returned to Lithuanian after WWI. (His immigration papers state he was born in Zarasai on 22 June 1917). He studied art at the Vilnius Academy of Art for three years.  During WWII he was captured by Nazis, conscripted into the German Army and taken prisoner of war by the American Army.
In 27 April 1948, he arrived in Australia on board the ship General Black.  He fulfilled his two year work contract as a sugar cane cutter in Queensland.  During that time he painted in oil a large picture, titled Holy Mary, a copy of the revered painting in Vilnius.  He donated his work to the parish of Freshwater in 1948 to mark the first Lithuanian Day celebrations in Australia.

Žemaitė Julija Beniuševičiūtė-Žymantienė,
famous Lithuanian author

In 1949, he exhibited four graphic art works at a Gympie exhibition and won first prize. While still in Queensland he painted murals in private homes, decorated church halls and painted pictures of religious subjects for Catholic churches.

In 1955, he moved to Adelaide and became involved with the community, painting  theatrical sets and decorating Lithuanian house with wooden ornaments based on folk art symbols.  (These still hang in the House). He then began to use poker work.  

In 1956, he held his first solo exhibition at St Joseph's Hall in Adelaide.  He showed 22 poker work items and 10 oil paintings.  In 1957 he won a bronze medal at the Royal Adelaide Exhibition and in 1958 he was one of six Lithuanian artists who held an exhibition at Lithuanian House. During the 1962 Lithuanian Festival he held a joint poker work exhibition with Rimas Daugalis.

He never married and lived the last five years at the Lithuanian Catholic centre where he painted many oil painting of Lithuanian historical figures.  They can still be seen displayed around the Lithuanian Catholic Centre.

Vytas Serelis - Artist

Born on February 10, 1946 in Memmingen Refugee camp. He immigrated to Australia with his parents Antanas and Jadvyga in 1950.

In 1963 Vytas graduated from Woodville High school and enrolled in the South Australian school of Art, where he graduated in 1966.

In 1963 Vytas was awarded the Sands & McDougall Prize for drawing, and the Osborne Art Gallery Prize.

At that time abstract art especially hard edge and colour painting was the prevailing style. Vytas preferred figurative and realistic art. He stopped painting and turned to music because he felt pressed to paint a certain way.

Vytas held his first solo exhibition in 1967 at the North Adelaide Gallery. That same year, Vytas in the generation of flower children, travelled to India, studying Indian music and mystical life. At the invitation of Akbar Khan school of Music in Calcutta he studied there. He explored several different types of sitar and decides to make himself one of them.

He returned to Australia for a short time, before heading off to London. While there, he married a fellow Australian. The newlyweds both earned a living from graphic design, and Vytas still played the sitar in various clubs. They toured North Africa with a popular music group. He designed posters for various musical groups and performers who sprang up in London at the time . His illustrations featured in magazines such as Time Out, Rolling Stone, newspaper "Oz" and others. Vytas began to paint seriously, in 1969, but did not break completely from the music business.

After an illness that finds Vytas hospitalised, he and his wife decide to return to Australia.

In 1970 Vytas in began studying photography.

In 1971, he was commissioned to produce a large mural for the Adelaide Festival Theatre. He becomes a freelance photographer and still playing the sitar.

In 1972 along with his friends from art school Vytas participated in a collective exhibition in North Adelaide as well as a solo exhibition. In 1973 the artist holds an exhibition in Sydney. Following a successful exhibition, Vytas receives a grant of $5000 from the Visual Arts Board and acquires 18 acres of land at Carey Gully. Here he constructs a tin hut, the council called it a shed, but Vytas call it home.

The year 1974 is significant, in particular, he participated in the festival city of Perth, then organised a solo exhibition. Later, the painting "Father and the Son” is awarded the 1974 Alice Springs Prize. Vytas was absent for the award presentation. He does not need the glory. "I do not have time to become famous or get rich," - says the artist. In 1975, he received first prize in the prestigious Robin Hood Art award for "old lady with a fox fur" .

In 1976, during the Adelaide Festival of Arts he constructed Giant Face, Spider Web "and" Flying Eyeball for the Fun Palace at the Carclew Arts Centre. His works can be seen everywhere from the famous 'Greenhills' gallery, and the University of Adelaide, and in private collections.

Since the late 1980s Vytas again surprised the world with new works, as well as teaching at the University of Adelaide. On the 12 September the Adelaide University Union gallery opens his solo exhibition. In addition to paintings, graphic works, posters, pictures and drawings of all the works exhibited here Vytas make musical instruments, nature and photos of interiors and unique scientific inventions - technology works: "sunertinis wing," flying motorcycle ", ‘electric helicopter’ and others.

Vytas has shown work in the Australian Lithuanian community art exhibitions. The Adelaide community held a solo exhibition of his work. He has donated a painting "Christ on the cross," and ‘the matadors” to Lithuanian house.

Stasys Neliubsys - Artist

Born in St Petersburg in 1898. He completed High school and studied religious art there. After WWI his family returned to Lithuania where Stasys continued his art studies in Kaunas. He specialised in the restoration of religious paintings in churches. He was imprisoned during the war by the Germans. After the war he taught art at the Lithuanian art school in Wiesbaden refugee camp in Germany.

He migrated to Australia in 1949 and settled in Adelaide. He continued his painting and held solo exhibitions for the Adelaide community in 1955, 1956 and 1959. He was a regular contributor to Lithuanian and Royal South Australian Society of Art exhibitions. Between 1956 and 1972 he produced stage decorations for ten theatre productions by the Adelaide Theatre group.

He married Nina Gedraitiene. Stasys died in 1979 aged 78.

Several of his paintings still hang on the walls of Lithuanian house, such as the two above. On the left is a portrait of the well known Lithuanian artist Ciurlionis and on the right is a portrait of V. Raginis, a very active member of the Adelaide Lithuanian community.

Leonas Zygas painter, dancer, choreographer

Born 19 February 1924 in Birzai. Studied in Kaunas at Ausra High School until 1944, at the same time attending private lessons with realist painter Jonas Mickevicius and ballet classes at the State Theatre.

In 1944 Zygas fled to Germany. In 1947 he danced at Augsburg refugee camp in the first exile Lithuanian ballet performance of Coppelia. In Wurzburg camp he was stage designer for the folkloric ensemble, Sietynas and an art teacher at the art school organised in camp.

In 1948 he migrated to Australia arriving on the General S D Sturgis on 14 May 1948. While in Bathurst migrant camp married former prima ballerina with the Kaunas Ballet Theatre, Jadvyga Biuzyte. In Adelaide he worked as a shop assistant. Jadvyga arrived in Australia on the Wooster Victory 6 September 1948.

Elected president of the Lithuanian Cultural Foundation and later made a life member. He belonged to RSASA and the contemporary Society of Art. He held nine solo exhibitions and regularly participated in RSASA, Contemporary Society of Arts and Lithuanian exhibitions.

Leonas died on 8^th August 1980 of cancer.

He has had several one man shows in Adelaide, exhibited in group shows in Sydney and Melbourne. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the Contemporary society.

Vytas Kapociunas - Artist

Arriving in Australia as a six year old "displaced person" from Central Europe after the Second World War has affected Vytas Kapociunas' attitude to life and art. Vytas identifies with the struggles of ordinary people, their daily toil, joy, and creation of personal sanctuaries. It is social comment that characterises his artwork more than stylistic inheritance from his Lithuanian origins. He also identifies closely with the arid Australian hinterland and its inhabitants. In recent years, the Malaysian people and landscape have also provided a rich source of inspiration for his work.

Vytas grew up in Adelaide, graduating from the South Australian School of Art with a travelling scholarship. He won the national Goya Awardin 1964, and spent his early post-graduate years in Spain, France and England, where he exhibited widely. He has also worked in Asia, especially in South Asia, and in other parts of Europe and the United States. He began lecturing at the South Australian School of Art in 1965, and spent three years on diplomatic posting in Malaysia, and three in South Korea, and is presently residing in Washington DC with his wife, Jane, who is Counsellor (Congressional Liaison) at the Embassy of Australia.

Vytas retired from the University of South Australia (Art School), after 30 years.

Taken from his website http://vytaskapociunas.webs.com/worksfromwashingtondc.htm

Cartoonist Borisas BORJERAS

A caricaturist and art photographer, born in Kaunas on the 14 December 1910. He studied at the Kaunas school of art, graduating in 1931. In 1940 he married Elena and four years later fled to Germany. On arrival in SA he worked for the SA Railway department and then as a commercial artist. His work often featured in Australian Lithuanian print.

Rosemary Aliukonis

Rosemary was born on the 7 September 1950, in Adelaide. At an early age she showed talent and was encouraged to study art. After completing school at Seacombe High in 1968 she enrolled in the SA School of Art. In 1972 she was awarded a diploma in Fine Art, having gained a distinction in painting. She received the John Christie Wright Memorial Prize for composition which enabled her to study lithography for a year. In 1974 she undertook a scholarship to study at the Hamburg Art College.

Her first solo exhibition was held at the Llewellyn Gallery in North Adelaide in 1974.

Arts practiced

• Glass
• Graphic Design
• Illustration/Drawing
• Multimedia
• Painting
• Printmaking
• Sculpture
• Teaching/Tutoring Experience
• Textile

Print above titled "Medicine shield".

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