50 years of summer school
Australia’s longest running arts retreat
SOME tutors have been involved in the McGregor Summer School from the start and for others this year’s 50th school is their first.
The milestone summer school kicked off at the University of Southern Queensland yesterday with 320 participants taking part in intensive classes across everything from painting to music.
Bespoke furniture making tutors Geoff Hannah and Laurens Otto have never missed a school, while Adrian Lockwood and Jackie Orme Ward from Pendragon Shoes are tutors for the first time.
The Maroochydore-based pair are self taught and have been making shoes for the past 30 years.
“It was an accidental thing so not a conscious decision to make shoes,” Mr Lockwood said.
“We both met at university we were both studying totally different things. I was doing environmental science, or pretending too, and Jackie was doing modern Asian studies.”
Their “creative friendship” was born and after attending markets with pieces of “whatever they were doing at the time” were asked to attend a medieval fair.
Having to dress in costume, they decided to make their own shoes as well as a few extra to sell. They were a hit and they have now made shoes for international customers and the Queensland Theatre Company. They also attend festivals like Woodford each year.
McGregor Summer School coordinator Cassy Stephan said the school was about creating, collaborating and connecting.
“So you come here to create, collaborate with other artists as some people continue artistic projects together and then connect with others,” she said.
The first McGregor Summer School was held in January 1969 with three classes in painting, three tutors and 43 students.
It grew to attract up to 900 students during the 1980s, from all parts of Australia and overseas.
As part of the 50th celebrations a twilight market will be held in USQ’s refectory on Wednesday from 6pm with a chance to buy direct from Australia’s best artists.