From world-renowned glass blowers to landscape painters, it’s evident that Australia. produces some of the most talented artists, and art, across the globe. Here are five titles to fuel your passion for art this month.

Penelope & Tansy Curtin, Blooms and Brushstrokes: A floral history of Australian art

Blooms and Brushstrokes takes you on a unique journey through the history of Australian art, one flower at a time, examining the blooms depicted. in still lifes, floral portraits, decorative interiors and botanical illustrations by a long line of Australian artists.

Spectacular, intimate, engaging and meticulously researched – and full of interesting and. quirky facts about the flowers and the artists themselves – Blooms and Brushstrokes is a book for art, flower and history lovers alike.

 Clare Belfrage: Rhythms of necessity is the first major publication that explores the significance of her. contribution to contemporary international glass art. Exhibited across the world, Belfrage’s glass vessels explore the pulse and flow of forces that shape the natural world as well as the lived patterns of the everyday.

As well as showcasing her award-winning glass vessels, Clare Belfrage: Rhythms of necessity explores the bodily. processes of glass blowing, particularly the specific skills of fine cane drawing for which she is renowned.

Liz Williams, Margot Osborne & Grant Hancock, Liz Williams: Body language 

Liz Williams: Body language celebrates the remarkable figurative sculptures of Australian ceramicist Liz Williams. In this first comprehensive survey of her ceramics, Margot Osborne traces the evolution of Liz Williams’ impressive. body of coil-built ceramic sculptures commencing in the late 1970s.

Liz Williams’ choice of the artisan medium of clay and her distinctive sculptural approach have made her art difficult to contextualise in terms. of contemporary styles in both sculpture and ceramics. This, and her decision to practise from a base in Adelaide, contributed to her relatively low profile during her life. This first retrospective survey makes it possible to fully appreciate Williams’ achievement and her contribution to ceramics in Australia.

Gloria Strzelecki & Jacqueline Hick, Jacqueline Hick: Born wise 

Jacqueline Hick (1919–2004) was one of Australia’s most successful figurative painters. In a long and. fruitful career she also explored print-making and enamelling. Her subjects included the Australian landscape, musical and theatrical performances, and city life. Above all, Hick was drawn to the human figure. Whether observing the foibles of modern living or the displacement of Aboriginal people’s traditional lifestyles, her figurative works sought to expose human insensitivity.

Jacqueline Hick: Born wise showcases many of Hick’s finest works, and traces a life that, like her art, was imbued with wit, wisdom and empathy.

To read more about any of these books, or to find other related titles, find our entire art list here on our website.

To purchase copies of any of these books, visit us in our Mile End bookshop, give us a call on (08) 8352 4455, or find them in our online web shop.

Jaye Jarvis, a year ten student at St Johns Grammar School, outlines her keen interest in reading and writing, as well as her involvement in the work experience program at Wakefield Press.

What is the first book you ever read? 

My mum spent countless hours reading to me as a kid, but the first novel I can consciously remember reading was Layla, Queen of Hearts by Glenda Millard. It’s a gentle, almost nostalgic story about the ups and downs of friendship and the power of love in all of its most unexpected forms. Millard’s writing style was almost definitely the catalyst for my tendency to be overly emotional.

What attracted you to doing work experience at Wakefield Press?

I’ve always liked to think my passion for literature and books was written in the stars, but that’s probably just my romanticised logic taking over. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to be involved in the production of books in any way possible, whether that be as an editor, a designer or even an author. Doing my work experience at Wakefield Press seemed like an excellent opportunity to test my interest and nail down a specific aspect of publishing that could lead to prospective employment.

Do you think boys read differently from girls? If so, how? If not, why do you think so many people believe that?

I think that the greatest existing disparity between boys and girls when it comes to reading lies in expectation, not ability or interest. From the beginning of modern literature in the 18th century, both men and women were expected to be equally well read; a societal standard that’s practically disappeared over time. When young girls read nowadays, they’re considered intelligent and hardworking, while most of the time boys who are passionate about reading are seen as nerdy or weird. At least that’s what it’s like in high school, anyway. I’d really like to see this reputation change, as the enjoyment of books shouldn’t come with any excess baggage or reason for judgment.

What’s the last book you read for fun? What was fun about it?

The last book I read for fun was My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix, a title that explores the challenges of friendship and demonic possession; an underlying metaphor for the difficulties faced by teenage girls. Being the ideal demographic, I really enjoyed the theme of the novel in general, and additionally found a lot of enjoyment in the 1980s setting.

What’s the last book you read and hated? what did you hate about it?

I like to think I’m a very positive, ‘treat people with kindness‘, kind of person, but my one exception is when it comes to Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Under the curse of some vengeful higher power, I’ve been made to write two essays on the novel during my time at school. I suppose the genre isn’t an area of interest for me at the best of times, but I also find a lot of difficulty in appreciating the writing style. It’s too long-winded, and the concept in general makes me a little sick to the stomach.

How do you find out about books you want to read?

I pay a visit to my local library about once a month, scouring pretty much every section for new arrivals and books that catch my eye. Usually I end up with nine or ten titles that will occupy my time before the next visit.

Name a book or books that changed the way you think- in any way at all, large or small.

Admittedly this is more of a negative influence, but Looking for Alaska by John Green taught me not to romanticise hardcore partying or alcohol consumption during my high school experience. At the time I read the book, I was a little caught up in the world of social media and Netflix specials, which resulted in a pretty warped idea of what my teenage years would be like. As it turns out, I’m much happier knowing that teenage life is a lot less chaotic and angst-ridden than the movies make it out to be.

Based on what you see around you, do you think teenagers read more or less than they used to?

I think that although the effects of social media fascination and addiction are more prevalent than ever in today’s society, there’ll always be teenagers that love to read. The same way that many young adults prefer records or cd’s to Spotify, book-lovers will always be present in society. Besides, kicking back with a physical book in your hand isn’t the only way to indulge in the written word any more. Thousands of teenagers are blogging and reading YA on their Kindle’s every day. Passion for reading among today’s youth isn’t dying out, it’s just evolving.

Who is your favourite author and why?

It definitely depends on the day, but I’d say either Jane Austen, Derek Landy or Krystal Sutherland. Sense and Sensibility was the first classic I ever read, so Austen’s style holds a special place in my sentimental heart. Derek Landy’s Skullduggery Pleasant series was the first to spark my interest in the supernatural, and I take a lot of inspiration from his work. As for Krystal Sutherland, she’s written two books that rank highly in my personal top 50, so I’d be stupid not to mention her. I really admire the way she writes from the perspective of teenagers being an adult herself, and her narratives are expertly crafted and super creative.

If you were banished to a desert island and could take three books with you, what would they be and why?

Pride and Prejudice, so I could have a good cry; Marilyn Manson’s biography, just to keep things interesting; and How to Build and Sail Small Boats by Tony Read. (I’m not a big fan of the desert climate.)

Keep an eye out for Jaye’s other blog posts, coming soon!

Want to complete your work experience at Wakefield Press? Email maddy@wakefieldpress.com.au to express your interest.

The running joke in Adelaide is that everybody knows everybody. It isn’t six degrees of separation in this town – it’s one.

If you meet someone new it won’t be long before you discover that you both used to have so and so living next door to you or that you are actually second cousins once removed or that you both dated Jamie Darcy when you were in your twenties.

I  experienced the book form of this phenomenon when I read In My Mothers Hands by Biff Ward on the weekend.

In it there was an interesting anecdote about how her grandfather was the reason that the suburb of Paradise was so named. I had always wondered at the name, and assumed that it was a hopeful moniker slapped on it by a developer. In fact, it was named after the Paradise Bridge Hotel, owned by Joseph Ind. He was quite the character, as were many of Biff’s relatives, including her father, the man who was the first person to collect Australian Settler songs like Click go the Shears.

At one of Wakefield’s book launches, Big Rough Stones by Margaret Merilees. I bumped into a friend of mine who was there with her mother: Biff Ward.

The one degree of separation thing happened again this morning when I picked up our book Colonial Settlers On The River Torrens. This book is about the first generation of European settlers to take up properties on the upper reaches of the River Torrens. They were the first to intensively cultivate the land in the present-day suburbs of Campbelltown, Paradise and Athelstone.

Flicking through the gorgeous pictures I spotted one of the Paradise Bridge Hotel. There I found the story of Joseph Ind, melon grower, hotel owner, and Biff’s grandfather and local character, in what was later to become Paradise.

Joseph Ind and many other local characters are remembered for their many achievements settling the areas which we now know as Paradise, Campbelltown and Athelstone. Importantly, their harsh treatment of the Kaurna people is also remembered, acknowledging that the titular settlers were not the first to live on the land.

As my experiences go, a flick through the beautifully-curated pages of images and research by Dr Roger Irvine might reveal some names familiar to you too – we are in Adelaide, after all.

By Emma Sachsse, Wakefielder by day, writer by night. Find more of her work on Medium.

To purchase a copy of Roger Irvine’s Colonial Settlers on the River Torrens, visit us in our Mile End bookstore, give us a call on (08) 8352 4455, or find the book online at our webstore.

Holden Treasures tells the unique story of the first ten Holden models from the 1946 prototypes to the 1966 HR. The chapters feature these Holden vehicles in their current or recent states as well as including historic images of the vehicles in their heyday. It incorporates over 500 outstanding black-and-white photographs and colour slides, all assembled through Loffler’s devoted and persistent research in automotive social history.

Read on for a sneak peek into the pages of this painstaking labour of love by Don Loffler.

From page 110:

Eddie Sams’s ambulance, which began its life as an FJ panel van, is the only one of its kind to have been fully restored. What gives it additional status is that much of the original first-aid equipment was donated by Mrs Victoria Wadey, whose husband, Fred,

had been the superintendent/ secretary of the Temora District Ambulance Service in New South Wales and had taken delivery of the ambulance in April 1956. The colourful history of this vehicle is told in my book The FJ Holden. The ambulance is much travelled and is often seen at interstate car shows, where it attracts great attention.

From pages 132–134:

‘Igor’ the FB campervan (pictured below in June 2012)

The story of this unique vehicle is best told in the words of Omar Grass, the third owner, who wrote the following description when he was advertising it for sale in 1989: ‘I purchased the van in 1985 for $3000 from a local chap who had bought it from the original owner/builder four years previous to this, so it has had only three owners. The original owner was a retired engineer, who used his low-mileage station wagon as a base for this camper.

‘It’s very evident that everything was done with lots of love, care and attention to detail. For example, the rear end was re-engineered to suit a two-ton Ford Transit double-wheel rear axle, whose propeller shaft connects with a five-speed Toyota Celica gearbox. This is all driven by a Red 179 Holden motor. The brakes are servo assisted with extra large Repco drums on the front.

~

‘The bull bar itself is an engineer’s work of art! It incorporates room for a 10-kilogram gas bottle and two 20-litre jerry cans. It’s a very soundly designed and built car. ‘The camper section is set up as a four-berth and is complete with built-in cupboards, stove, three-way fridge, stainless steel sink, water tank and table. Overall length of vehicle is 171/2 feet (including bull bar).’

After using the van for travelling around South Australia for two years, Omar decided to have some restoration work done on the vehicle by a professional panel worker. Rust and dents were removed from the FB section and all panels were given a bare metal respray. The restorer commented on how little filler there was in the panels. No work had to be done on the rear section. The engine and the gearbox, however, were overhauled, with many new parts being fitted. After four years of ownership, Omar sold the campervan to Gilbert Hallett of Castlemaine, Victoria, who later sold it to Roger and Lesley Johnston of Mount Gambier, South Australia.

From page 140:

During their working lives, the brothers Alex and David Hughes rescued many an early model Holden from impending oblivion, restoring most of them to stock form and creating a few one-off special versions, an example of which can be seen above. The starting point was an HR sedan, making for a smart-looking vehicle.

Alex writes: It had been in a rollover and was quite damaged. It had such a first-class floor pan that we didn’t like scrapping it. We didn’t like throwing anything away if we could use it for another project, so we decided to make this one into a convertible.

~~~

Some people guess that Don Loffler is the son or relative of a Holden dealer, or a former Holden factory employee, or someone closely connected with the motor trade. He is none of these, but a retired German, Latin and Chemistry teacher, who is enjoying the process of writing books on his passion – the early Holden models and the history behind them.

Born in Kapunda, South Australia, Don gained an Arts degree and two Education diplomas from the University of Adelaide. His late wife, also a graduate with similar degrees from the same university, was his inspiration in the initial years of his book writing, and the tradition is now maintained by his son Michael and daughter Helen.

Don Loffler regards himself as fortunate indeed to be writing three more books featuring all makes of car on Australian roads in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. In addition, he is preparing a third edition of his original book, She’s a Beauty!.

To find out more about the book, or to purchase a copy, visit us in our bookshop at 16 Rose street, Mile End, or find it online.