A retrospective exhibition of the works of the late Jean Goodridge presented by her daughter Georgina Yerbury. Jean was a prolific artist who worked across many mediums and Georgina has curated a select number of works and memorabilia to share with us the story of her mothers creativity and achievements throughout the 1900's.
Jean not only drew and painted she was also a writer, a poet, a weaver, and also dabbled in ceramics, china painting and pottery.
She was born at Young in 1917 and lived there all her life, passing in 2006 at the age of 88. She began drawing and watercolours in 1949 under the tuition of Elizabeth McKay (Mrs R. McDonald). She also studied other mediums with Roland Waklin, John Santry, Rodney Milgate, Jean Isherwood and Joseph Klimek. Her favourite subjects were florals, still lifes and landscapes.
Set out below are some of the creative highlights and awards received over her lifetime:
Not only did she write poetry, she wrote stories and illustrated them, publishing a series of books, one of which was 'But what of Togo ...' telling the story of a Tongan smuggled into Australia off the Cape of York. The book is now displayed at the National Library, Canberra.
In 1976 one of her paintings won an award in Young and was then sent to Young's sister City in the US, Golden, in Colarado, where it is still displayed in the Council Chambers today.
She also illustrated the cover of the original publication of the novel 'Wild Colonial Boys' by Frank Clune.
In 1974 Jean won a slogan competition for the Sydney Morning Herald and was presented with a trip to Alice Springs. The competition was for the best slogan to adorn a sign to be situated in Marree, in the Simpson desert, for the pleasure and entertainment of passengers on the Ghan as they whizzed by. Her winning words were 'Don't spit you might need it'. She was presented with the prize of a trip to Alice Springs where she stayed for a couple of weeks and had the opportunity to paint the landscape.
Georgina hopes to present a number of her paintings and drawn works, together with books, other ephemera and memorabilia to help tell the story of her prolifically creative and most accomplished mother.
