Ralph Walker, (1912 – 2003) was an Australian draughtsman, printmaker and sculptor of enormous industry and great talent. In his long life of 93 years he created thousands of drawings and hundreds of pieces of sculpture ranging from life size figures to miniatures that he worked in the palm of his hand. The hallmark of his work is a deep understanding of form through drawing and a haunting poetic sense of intimacy – moving towards soliloquy and loss. Ralph designed the relief panels for the Sydney Mitchell Library main doors. These panels had aboriginal subjects. Ralph was one of the first Australian artists to give aboriginal people integrity and honour through his work.  Among the many examples of his public art Ralph created works for the Australian War memorial in Canberra having been an official war artist during WW2. Those who have written with admiration for the work of Ralph Walker include fellow artist Fred Williams, Richard Leplastrier architect and historian Manning Clarke and yet the work of this major artist is relatively unknown. With his artist/writer  wife Jean he lived in a rambling, self-designed, house among Angophoras near Sydney Harbour. His son, Ian Walker, himself an artist, with the assistance of his talented family is cataloguing and preserving Ralph’s work.  I have fond memories of Ralph and Jean dating back to the 1960s when I got to know them through my uncle Richard Ashton. There was lively knowledgeable conversation on the subject of art and vigorous debate. From 1937 to 1941 he was a student at The Julian Ashton Art School, where he studied under Henry Cornwallis Gibbons.

Ralph, gentle and kindly, was never happier than when he could be reclusive in his purpose built Studio Yurt at the bottom of the garden. Here he was not to be interrupted whilst creating his little figurines and firing them in the kiln. He was a lover of the human form and of the bush.

Jean wrote two bestselling books on designing Australian bush gardens and was a close friend and supporter of the Bradley sisters, Joan and Eileen, who were like her, pioneers in the field of bush regeneration. Their bush care involvement was in response to the depletion of the natural habitat including that of the Sydney Blue Wren, a sculptural inspiration of Ralph and Jean.

Paul Delprat

Created by Prince Paul of Wy in 1960 the Crest of the Principality of Wy is an elegant combination of Armorial Bearings having special significance. The Delprat Crest is the central element, and, together with the crown and the Latin enscription; “Ex Municipalis Vincit”, is borne on the Palette Shield, which has artistic provenance, all charges being framed by composite legendary creatures of antiquity. 

This iconic emblem has served as the Official Seal of the Principality of Wy, The Artists’ Principality, since the secession of the Principality in 2004 and is displayed solely by Serene Permission of The Court of the Principality of Wy.

Equerry

May your new year be gloriously happy.

It has been announced that The American Hubble Telescope, examining distant stars, has identified a number of possibly inhabitable planets. Is it possible, visionary people ask, that there could be an exoplanet  in a distant galaxy where peace rules and all is harmonious?

As part of the Creative Imperative, The Artistic Principality’s own Galileo telescope is located on our satellite “Hi Wy”. It is in orbit and in the fog of space has identified what we would substantiate as such a wondrous place, “Planet Wy”.

Planet Wy

An artist Princess of Wy has created an image of the planet. It looks bumpy because it is very small (like the Principality of Wy) and the mountains are quite large. Note the Loch Ness Rabbits (ears only are seen above the water) and the Bridge of Tiaras. More informative drawings are ensuing.

The envisaged Planet Wy is an ideal role model for world leaders.

On Planet Wy young manga artists write the rules for peace in picture form so that those speaking different languages all immediately understand. Out of this picture simplification emerges a new universal artistic language -

At a recent function at Wy Prince Paul announced this event to the great delight of residents and invited diplomats.

The Lord Astronomer Serene is currently engaged in serious studies at a galactic level. He paused to caution that there is a huge leap between artistic interpretation and scientific veracity.

As a scientist he shares our optimism regarding the qualities of a planet of peace as an inspiration for all mankind.

Equerry

The present Governor of New South Wales Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC is a champion of the betterment of the lives of women and she has a great love of art. Her Excellency recently held a function at Government House honouring artist Charles Blackman, an occasion which was especially notable for the brave attendance of his old friend Margaret Olley. The Australian art world is since lamenting the passing of Margaret, who though frail, was still vital and painting in her eighty eighth year. Her generosity to the Art Gallery of New South Wales is legendary.

The long serving Director of the gallery Edmund Capon, who has steered that cultural icon for over thirty years, has recently announced his resignation. His rare vision and capacity to bring people together for important artistic endeavours will be sorely missed. Two great contributors to the Australian art world have signed off.

Paul Delprat

Bathers at Campuan Ubud

Paul first knew Prince Tjok Gus, who has recently married Javanese television star Happy Salma, and his brother Tjok Day as boys in Bali having stayed with their mother and father Princess Asri and Prince Tjokorda Raka in Ubud, a hill town in Bali, an island in the Indonesian Archipelago. Prince Raka was to make the splendid ceremonial offering of fruit and incense for the opening of Paul’s exhibition of paintings in 1978, inspired by his stay in Bali, held at the Holdsworth Gallery Sydney. Princess Asri was Jane Gillespie in an earlier life, daughter of Colonel Rollo Gillespie, the Aid de Camp of the NSW Governor Sir Roden Cutler and a student at The Australian International Independent School, headed by the visionary Bill Eason, where Paul had been a teacher.

In Bali, while staying at the Palace, Paul was invited to bring his paints and accompany Raka on his travels to villages dizzily perched on steep vantage points amid the rice fields. It was the sacred custom for the Prince of Ubud to supervise the necessary repairs to each of the sacred sculptural Barong, the king of the spirits, a protector, which took the form of a lion or various other animal forms in different villages. The Barongs spent most of their time in special, beautifully carved buildings and would only be brought out for dance dramas on festive or religious occasions. This was in the days when there may be one television set in a village in front of which on wood fired smoky evenings the residents would sit attentively. This intrusion of the wider world was peripheral however and the traditional way of life went on blissfully unchanged. Now Tjok Gus is a man and is continuing his family’s great contribution in Ubud, a centre having a tradition in the arts. The preservation of living culture which is a Balinese way of life is something unique and to be treasured.

On the other side of the globe Monaco recently celebrated the wedding of Princess Charlene and Prince Albert. As a boy Paul remembered the excitement surrounding the 1956 wedding of Albert’s mother, the actress Grace Kelly, to his father Prince Rainier.

These occasions are a time to celebrate all those who believe in romantic love, an uplifting reminder of the essential gift of one person to the other. Who is not  a Prince and Princess on their wedding day? As the song says, “Everybody loves a lover” Art expresses this quality in portraiture. Every good portrayal is a visual history of the mutual attraction of the antecedents of that person going back into antiquity. Over the years Paul has painted many married couples. He says, “They are simply paintings of love.”

Equerry

Paul was delighted to do so. He based his creations; one male face and one female, on perceptions of what currently comprises attractiveness in the popular culture.

He is of the opinion that all faces, young and old, are beautiful in their own way. It is a saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Also, as the romantic poet envisioned; “Beauty is truth.”

Prince Paul says that what is perceived by some as ugliness is really in fact character and in any case, as we all know, it is that which is inside that counts.

Equerry

30 4 2011; All the world is inspired by the way the Japanese people have rallied to the huge challenge of repairing the damage caused by the Tsunami. The resilience of this great culture is exemplified by the fortitude of an elderly farming lady near Sendai, whose land is soaked by seawater and heavy oil, in saying that she has absolutely no intention of leaving. 

 ”The cherry blossom will return.”  Equerry

Trying to understand the Japanese Tsunami.-

Of Krakatoa, Grandpa said, Booming sounds went round the world.

The weather changed, the sky went red as global cooling ash was hurled.

Off Japan, deep shifting plates remind - that it is vain for us to claim,

Natures role for humankind. These are forces not for us to tame.

Our gift is words and song and art.  By compassion we define -

For men and women are a part of Stardust in the Grand Design.

Paul

Brave Japan

British Royal Wedding,   Westminster Abbey   London,  29^th April 2011

The Principality of Wy joins with well-wishers from around the world in congratulating young Prince William and his lovely Kate Middleton and hope for all the very best in their marriage. The young couple are an inspiration to many in troubled times.

May they truly live happily ever after.

Romantics everywhere now pause,

Royal weddings are well done.

All lovers now find common cause,

Rich and poor, they are as one.

Every tongue will commentate,

The globe speeds up, high spirited.

Young Wills and Kate – Oh Wills and Kate!

How well we wish you as you wed.

Paul of Wy

30 4 2011: Unable to be in London, The Serene Family and guests watched the ceremony in Westminster Cathedral, as did two billion or more other people around the globe, via the magic window of television, at The Principality of Wy.  They toasted the Royal couple with Champagne. The prince was amused by the queries from overseas commentators; “Are those horses real?” and, “Do they hire those men to dress up as soldiers?”  Prince Paul made the observation  to those at the Principality engrossed in watching the pageantry that;  ”This wedding is a fantastic display of ancient culture and mystery. All those present came away bearing the liniaments of gratified desire.  This they will carry for the rest of their lives.”      Equerry

I first met Australian artist, Sir Sidney Nolan at the old Hungry Horse Gallery in Paddington Sydney in 1964. I was just out of art school and had joined Betty O’Neill’s “stable” of artists. This was the time of the relative decline of the importance of the art societies and the rise of the commercial galleries. Her pioneer gallery was soon to be taken over by Kym Bonython who became the “Lorenzo the Magnificent” of Australian art patronage. I was impressed to meet the famous senior member of Betty’s stable, Sidney Nolan, at that time resident overseas, on one of his visits to Australia. I was enthralled by his work, especially The Ned Kelly series. In my mind Nolan is the Shakespeare of Australian Art. His characters enter and exit on an elusively enamelled stage. Everything in movement.  He had, through sheer fluency and invention, touched on the epic nature of the surreal history of his country. He was happy to talk to a boy just out of school on the beginning of his journey and we discussed matters of mutual interest. He had explored various media, including Ripolin, which was a commercial paint product he had found that suited him. He did not confine himself to brushes but used anything to hand including silk stockings and windscreen wipers. I was astonished by his candour. I recall that he was totally open minded about the possibilities of a painting. At the art school we had restricted ourselves to the traditional tools of the artist; canvas, brushes and artist oil colours and the study of the great masters. To my embarrassment Betty dragged out a few examples of my work. He was encouraging to a young painter and we talked for ages before he was whisked away to a function by Betty O’Neill.

A kindly smile, A quizzical look into the distance – and he was gone. I found him to be, by nature, a shy reflective person. But like Shakespeare here was a keen observer who had the gift of turning the simple stuff of his local environment into the universal. He changed Australian art forever. And made a deep impression on me.

Paul Delprat

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His old art school mate Max Cullen (pictured), who combines rare artistic and thespian skills in his own life, opened the show and spoke of earlier days they shared as students of The Julian Ashton Art School.

Paul Delprat

The Exhibition is on show from the fourth to the 22nd of May 2011 at 63 Jersey Road Woollahra Sydney Tue to Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5, Sun12-5