Western Australian State Living Treasures 2015 Department of Culture and the Arts Gordon Stephenson House 140 William Street Perth WA 6000 Telephone: +61 8 6552 7300 Toll Free (country WA callers only): 1800 199 090 TTY users phone 133 677 then ask for 08 6552 7300 Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 08 6552 7300 Internet relay users connect to the NRS www.iprelay.com.au/call/index.aspx then ask for 08 6552 7300 Email: [email protected] Website: www.dca.wa.gov.au About DCA The Department of Culture and the Arts (DCA) guides the delivery of culture and arts for Western Australia through the provision of policy development, coordination and support services to the Culture and Arts portfolio. DCA also supports the culture and the arts sector. This publication is current at October 2015 © Department of Culture and the Arts WA. All rights reserved. WESTERN AUSTRALIAN STATE LIVING TREASURES 2015 Western Australian State Living Treasures 2015 Faith Clayton Chrissie Parrott Stephanie Coleman Herbert Pinter Robert Drewe Nalda Searles Pippin Drysdale Lew Smith Alan Griffiths Miriam Stannage Joan London Dr Richard Walley Dr Mary McLean Dave Warner Noriko Nishimoto 1 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN STATE LIVING TREASURES 2015 About the State Living Treasures Awards The Western Australian State Living 2015 AWARD RECIPIENTS 2015 AWARDS PANEL Treasures Awards were inaugurated in 1998 to honour senior West The 2015 State Living Treasures The panel consisted of: Australian artists who have made a Award recipients were chosen from Mr Duncan Ord (Chair) – Director lifelong contribution to their art form across art forms, including visual art, General, Department of Culture and and their community. The awards dance, music, puppetry, theatre, film the Arts were presented again in 2004 to and writing. Recipients are senior honour and celebrate the diversity, artists, who Ms Seva Frangos – Director, Seva talent and richness of a new group of Frangos Arts; Indigenous and individual artists. Twenty-three artists • have spent a significant part of Contemporary Art Advisor were honoured with the State Living their career working within or Treasures award in previous years and creating work related to Western Dr David Hough – Writer, Business 15 from various artforms have been Australia Historian and theatre, opera and honoured in 2015. dance critic • are highly regarded and skilled in The panel selected artists based on their field Ms Nanette Hassall – Head of Dance their exceptional level of artistic skill Department, Western Australian and dedication to developing their • have spent their careers constantly Academy of Performing Arts particular art form, their contribution developing their work in teaching and collaborating A/Professor Andrew Lewis – with other artists, as well as a • have passed on their knowledge to Associate Head of School for demonstrated long-term involvement other artists and influenced Performance Western Australian in the arts in Western Australia. emerging artists in their field; and Academy of Performing Arts The concept of the State Living • have demonstrated a commitment Mr Barry McGuire – Managing Treasures originated in Japan in the or contribution to the arts sector in Director, Red Spear post-World War II period, when the Western Australia. title became the highest honour E/Professor Margaret Seares – attainable by a senior traditional They were selected, based on Independent Advisor artist. Since then, the Living Treasures the above criteria, by a panel of awards programs have been adopted distinguished members of the arts Professor Ted Snell – Director, Cultural worldwide to honour influential and culture community in Western Precinct, – The University of Western elders of the artistic community. Australia. Australia The awards acknowledge the ability Ms Sue Taylor – Taylor Media of artists to engage, move, involve and entertain audiences. They honour Professor Terri-ann White – Director, the skill, imagination and originality UWA Publishing, The University of of the artist. Western Australia 2 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN STATE LIVING TREASURES 2015 Past recipients 2004 1998 Alan Alder Madame Kira Bousloff Dr Lucette Aldous Madame Alice Carrard Janangoo Butcher Cherel Peter Cowan Jimmy Chi Jack Davis, Professor Jeffrey Howlett AM Margaret Ford Tom (T.A.G) Hungerford Vaughan Hanly Doris Pilkington Garimara Elizabeth Jolley Dr Carol Rudyard Robert Juniper Professor Roger Smalley Queenie McKenzie Leonard ‘Jack’ Williams Paul Sampi Richard Woldendorp Howard Taylor Fay Zwicky Distinguished Artists (having passed away prior to the 1998 awards) Joan Campbell Rover Thomas 3 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN STATE LIVING TREASURES 2015 Premier’s message The Western Australia State Living These artists are an inspiration to Treasures Awards celebrate the us all, telling the stories of both our diversity, talent and richness of the State and our way of life. Through artists who have chosen to make WA their work and talent, we are able to their home, or who have made WA see ourselves, the places we live, our places, people and experiences a history and our culture through focus of their work. a myriad of different lenses. The awards recognise those whose My congratulations to all 15 of the exceptional level of artistic skill and 2015 State Living Treasures Award ability has advanced their art form, recipients, whose contribution to influenced and developed other our culture and history is documented artists, and demonstrated a long-term in this commemorative publication. involvement and commitment to the arts in WA. They are, indeed, treasured West Australians. Western Australia has produced more than its share of gifted and The Hon. Colin Barnett MLA distinguished artists over the years, Premier of Western Australia including those who are recognised here as the State’s Living Treasures 2015. 4 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN STATE LIVING TREASURES 2015 Minister’s message A Living Treasure is defined as The task of selecting nominations someone who has made a substantial for the third State Living Treasures and enduring contribution to society recipients was surely a difficult one, in a field of human endeavour, in this and I thank the panel members for case, the arts. their efforts. The first Western Australian State It is clear to see that Western Living Treasures Awards were held in Australia continues to produce 1998 and honoured 11 artistic greats artists of exceptional talent. I am including Jack Davis, Margaret Ford, proud that we are able to honour Queenie McKenzie and Elizabeth Jolley. them in this way, and express the State’s gratitude for the valuable In 2004 the distinction was bestowed contribution these Living Treasures on a further 12 artists including Jimmy have made to our cultural life. Chi, Tom Hungerford and Richard Woldendorp. The Hon. John Day MLA Minister for Culture and the Arts This year’s awards recognise 15 Western Australian State Living Treasures – artists whose work spans music, dance, film, puppetry, visual arts and writing, and whose dedication to their practice and art form has had a significant impact on this State. 5 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN STATE LIVING TREASURES 2015 Faith Clayton Faith Clayton has spent over 60 She also began an amateur career Faith worked on a number of popular years working as a professional in theatre and her first performance television shows in the 1990s, actress in theatre, film, television and with the University Dramatic Society including Ship to Shore, The Gift and radio in Western Australia. She has was as Jocasta in Oedipus, at the a season of Parallax. In 1992 and 1994, worked across countless genres and opening of UWA’s Sunken Garden she went on major tours of Australian embraced characters from all walks of Amphitheatre in 1948. Images of theatres in Sally Morgan’s Sistergirl, life, earning the respect of colleagues Faith in the play are used on UWA one of her most beloved productions and audiences across the country. promotional material to this day. Her to date. In 1995, she performed as work with the University Dramatic Mrs Higgins in a production of My Faith’s mother and grandmother Society resulted in enough attention Fair Lady and as Evangeline Court in were early influences on her love of that Faith was offered and accepted a a 1997 production of Anything Goes theatre and read dramatic poems role in the inaugural Festival of Perth at His Majesty’s Theatre. Throughout to her as a child. Throughout her production of Richard III in 1953. her career, Faith found that being childhood, Faith took speech and on stage and taking on the life of a drama classes. She still remembers Later that year, Faith and her husband character was where she felt most her first performance at the age moved to London and Faith took a comfortable, “You can get lost in a of eight – an alternate reading of job as a clinical psychologist, putting play, and feel it so intensely.” Little Miss Muffet, in which she told a career in theatre on the backburner. the story in English, Irish, Scottish The couple remained in England until From 2009 to 2013, Faith spent time and American accents. Faith was 1957, when they returned to Perth and working with others in the industry, fascinated with people from a young Faith began to work as a part-time helping to research and document age and would take note of and try Guidance Officer with the Education the history of UWA’s theatre and to emulate unique movements and Department. They soon started a performances in the lead-up to the mannerisms. family and Faith dedicated much of UWA’s centenary celebrations in her time to being a mother, while still 2013. In 2009, at the Equity Guild Faith finished high school in 1946 taking on a variety of theatre roles Awards, Faith received the inaugural and began studying psychology at including Gertrude in Hamlet, the Heritage Award in recognition of over The University of Western Australia title role in Mother Courage and Mrs 50 years of professional performance (UWA) the following year.