Comments on: Farewell, Young Arthur!

By: Patrick Carter

Patrick Carter — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 07:53:36 +0000

Your writins brought back so many fond memories of Arthur.We arrived in Perth in 1990 and Arthur was living in the flat above, in Scarborough. Right from the outset Arthur made us feel immensely welcome. He drove many of the neighbours wild with his poor rendition of Irish Eyes were smiling. Being Irish we thought it quaint but the Aussie neighbours couldn’t wait for the end.
Over the years we maintained a friendship, visiting him in Northam and Stirling st.
I had the least interest in art but Arthur always asked for my useless opinion.One time we visited he was doin drawings of the Grand Dame of Australian Opera and I couldn’t help but burst out laughing when he showed me the scribbles. I had to ask was she talking or singing in these musings.
I rang him today thinking to myself that its a while since we had popped in to see him. Operator on the line said line is out of service or words to the effect. I jumped on the net and there I was greeted by the very sad news that this world had lost one of its finest human beings.
Arthur I will indeed miss you and thank you for asking the interesting question,for seeing behind the bigger issues and most of all for all of these people you have touched in this world with your humanity.

love Patrick and Aine

By: sunny

sunny — Tue, 19 May 2009 11:10:50 +0000

beautiful writing lucas, i almost shed a tear at the end, the bit about the phone company. this arthur sounds like an amazing fella and he was right about you being brilliant too

By: Lucas

Lucas — Fri, 08 May 2009 05:33:39 +0000

Dear Quang Vo
thanks so much for your tender dedication. Whenever I visited Arthur in Highgate, he always talked fondly of you, and he always valued very highly your opinions and feedback on his work.

By: Quang Vo

Quang Vo — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:07:13 +0000

I’ll miss him much now that he’s gone. He is the most wonderful and homourous person I have ever met. I am sitting here think about him, did a google search and it take me here. Thank you for the wonderful post about Arthur.

I remember when I was cleaning for him, everytime I visit him, he always ask me to choose which drawing I would like best, and yes he always make you explain why you choose that drawing.

By: Anne-Maree

Anne-Maree — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 10:14:00 +0000

Thank you so much for your memories of Authur-what great observations of his character. I first met him in 1993 at ECU where I was lucky enough to have him as a life-drawing lecturer. What a good lecturer he was too- he had a keen eye for badly drawn angles of limbs etc..or the miss observed placement of body weight in the drawings. At a split second glance he could tell where the drawing was off. Students knew they were doing well when Arthur passed behind them saying “good shot!”.

A few years later and for several years I attended life drawing groups along-side Arthur and got to know him a little more. He was given to frequent loud sighs (if his drawing wasn’t going well) or at times, laughter, in an otherwise very quiet room. He was good fun ‘Young Arthur”.

One evening I accepted an invitation to attend a orchestral concert with him (his usual partner was not available). We sat in the second row, mostly in full spotlight. When the conductor appeared on stage Arthur burst into laughter (and at times throughout the concert-usually during the quiet moments). He enjoyed the conductor’s theatrical comedic quality. Rather much like his view on life.

Arthur could see the funny side in everything. He was a generous, humorous and uplifting human being. It was a priviledge to have known him.

Anne-Maree

By: raquel

raquel — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 23:14:06 +0000

Vale young-Arthur

We can only hope that we too will have your never-ending creative spirit.

Dear Lucas,
A lovely piece of writing. I remember your phone calls with Arthur well. Particularly one where you where describing the peanut butter and avocado salad sandwiches we where eating. He didn’t buy the satay explanation. I saw him in 2004 when I was in Perth, someone had brought him to an opening. He looked smaller, in height and energy, but not crankiness. In Kellerberrine last year I heard someone call him Old Arthur from Northam, it made me cranky!
xx
raquel

By: lauren

lauren — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:10:38 +0000

you’re spot on with what you’ve written about Young Arthur – bloody good bit of sensitive insight. into him and you.

we’re all luck to you have you , you know. take care lucas.

By: Lucas

Lucas — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:49:06 +0000

Thanks everyone. My brother sent through these notices from the newspaper:

By: jon tarry

jon tarry — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:46:00 +0000

Arthur a person of a time, in life that time you made present, you carried it forward and us forward with you.

You are not a figure of sentiment, even tho you possessed it in a healthy way. I first met you Arthur at a post-artschool artist-initiated drawing session held at Oddfellows buildings in perth, we all chipped in hired models critiqued each other, you always bought fruit and baked things to share, and a wealth of knowledge of drawing, yet always being one of the strange family of artists of that time.You rang me once to tell me off as i had offended you by not speaking to you at an opening, i never did that again, eventually i understood what was meant about how people delete, deny and avoid.We always spoke with great honesty after this and always with an engagement with the Art. A conversation over 28 years. Jon

By: Jasmin

Jasmin — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 07:46:51 +0000

Lucas

One connector remembering another! My parents have become more distant over the phone in the last six months so I relate to your savouring of scraps of conversations and calls.

Jasmin