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Post by Don Ricardo on Oct 25, 2012 22:01:40 GMT 10
Hi all, This is late notice, but those of you in Sydney and surrounds may be interested in the following exhibition which includes what can only be described as 'vintage caravan art'. The exhibition is on until Sunday, 28 October in Paddington:  There are some more pics of the vintage caravan items on display at the exhibition here. You will recognise some of the caravans depicted in the sculptures - some of them belong to forum members, or used to. Note the price on the sculptures - about the same price as buying one of the vans! ;D ;D ;D Not that I am saying in any way that the prices for the sculptures are unwarranted - producing such pieces takes time, artistry and skill which should be appropriately rewarded. It was just the similarity in the prices which caused me a wry smile! And I can guarantee that Fairlie Kingston's caravans are less likely to have mechanical issues and will require less maintenance! ;D ;D ;D Thanks to Austin125 for sending me the information about the exhibition to post, and apologies for not getting it up sooner.  Don Ricardo |
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Post by Franklin1 on Oct 26, 2012 17:40:02 GMT 10
G'day DonR, That's pretty interesting stuff!  And did you notice that once again we get to play the game, "Where's Driftwood?!" when it comes to these sorts of things relating to vintage vans... ...and once again we are not disappointed ;D ...  ...although I don't know how cobber feels about the building being called "Seabreeze" instead of that other well-known name "Drift....", ...well, you know the one  I reckon with him being a pensioner an' all that, that $5250 is probably a tad more than he's got in his kick at the moment, so if anyone is wondering what they should get ol' cobber for Xmas this year, then the Driftwood model would give him a fair bit of Xmas cheer, I reckon.  And if anybody thinks $5250 is a bit much to pay for a pile of ceramic, six of the models have been sold so far!  So, get' em while they're hot!! The only other one I readily recognise, apart from Driftwood, is the "Betsy" model, which is based on the "Betsy" caravan that featured in a Sydney Morning Herald article, back in February this year (2012), relating to the upcoming Vintage Nationals in Cowra...   I might even mosey up there on Sunday and have a squiz at the models. Might see if I can get a decent Seniors' discount just before the exhibition closes. cheers, Al. |
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Post by Don Ricardo on Oct 26, 2012 22:20:02 GMT 10
Hi Firefighter, It is amazing isn't it? I mean that genuinely, not sarcastically - Driftwood always seems to feature! With all its appearances on the web, in magazines and on knick knacks, I reckon Driftwood must be just about the most well known Aussie V V around. My theory is that it has become iconic because the size and shape fits a lot of people's ideas of what a V V should look like. My alternative theory is that Cobber has a whole marketing department beavering away in his shed to arrange appearance fees for Driftwood! I picked up on Betsy also, but there are a few other familiar vans. The Rowvan for one. But where have you seen Farlie Kingston's "Matey" before?  Maybe here?  "Little Pal" was one of Keith Winser's DIY vans featured in his Caravans & Touring, Book 4, 1951-52 (p 129). There are a few other identifiable vans as well. It seems to me that Fairlie knows her V V's pretty well! Wonder if she's on the forum? Don Ricardo |
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Post by cobber on Oct 27, 2012 1:18:04 GMT 10
G'day Don R & Al, Thanks for drawing attention to Driftwoods appearance in yet another commercial product that, I assure you, benefits me in a monetary sense not at all   I do admit I do get some satisfaction from realising others love the dear old thing almost as much as I do. To think a ceramic model of the van is "worth" $5250 when I paid only $600 for the van in 1993 is another indication of how far this vintage caravan hobby has come since the formation of the vintage caravans.com web site and forum in 2002/4. You're right Al.......this pop can't find the pennies to buy this item and..... Don R if Fairlie isn't a member of the forum he/she certainly knows it exists Cobber.....from the far side Posted from my shoe phone |
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Post by DC3Td on Oct 27, 2012 6:02:08 GMT 10
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Post by Franklin1 on Oct 27, 2012 7:21:25 GMT 10
G'day cobber, When I looked into Fairlie's work a bit more on the internet, I discovered the "Seabreeze" model is actually of the "Sea Breeze Holiday Flats" in Coffs Harbour, NSW. You must have been travelling past in Driftwood at the very moment she was absorbing the lines of the building, heh heh. What I also discovered is that she has in fact done a stand-alone model of Driftwood in the past (in 2009 I think), but I can't find any info about it other than this photo...  cheers, Al. |
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Post by Franklin1 on Oct 28, 2012 20:37:48 GMT 10
G'day DonR, Well, we lashed out and bought a $2.50 Senior's travel pass and took the train up to Sydney today for a look at the exhibition. And what a great exhibition is was too! What I didn't realise when I looked at the internet photos was that each of the large models is not just a shell. In fact, every van has all the internal layout that you would normally see in a real live van. And all the internal parts are ceramic as well, even down to the black and white check flooring that they all got. The detail in each van is actually quite astonishing! If you forgive my amateur attempts to take a photo of the inside of a couple of vans, using my mobile phone camera with the flash turned off, and trying to photograph through a 1" square window that's got perspex on it, you'll still get a bit of an appreciation of the level of interior detail... Van 1:  Van 2:  Van 3:  The largest model was the "Carapark" display (and not to be confused with the Carapark brand)...  This model was made up of 12 individual tiles butted together to create the whole scene. Once again the detail was outstanding, although the vans and cars were a much smaller scale compared with the individual larger models. This Carapark model was encased in a perspex cube for the exhibition, and sold as presented like that. The attendant told me it had sold quite early after the exhibition had started (for $30,000), and was bought by a "very private school for display in their Art Department" (her words)...  Any models that had not sold by the end of today would be returned to the artist for safe-keeping. The attendant told me that people make enquiries months or even years later after an exhibition has finished, asking if a particular item is still for sale. The gallery will then make contact with the artist and find out. I quite liked the Sandrover model, which is quite eyecatching in the flesh, and hadn't sold by the time we left this afternoon...  The exhibition model photographs will stay on the Australian Galleries (Paddington) website "forever", so the attendant told me. Look for them under "Exhibitions -> Previous Exhibitions". DonR, I'd like to see this thread transferred to the "Caravan Models and Toys" section of the forum, if you agree. I think it's well worth keeping a record of what Fairlie Kingston has done. cheers, Al. |
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Post by cobber on Nov 16, 2014 5:06:33 GMT 10
G'day everybody Just letting you know that the Fairley Kingston ceramic exhibition is on again in Paddington Sydney until the 7th December 2014. It would appear from the Advertesment that there are fewer caravans available THIS EXHIBITION than there were at the PREVIOUS EXHIBITION .... although I have been told 'SEABREEZE' is again available. We might duck in for a squiz  Only because Al gave it such a good wrap in 2012. Cobber. |
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Post by DC3Td on Nov 16, 2014 6:23:37 GMT 10
Hi Cobber.If you click onto the pretty pics in the current link you noted in your post it tells you the prices of the exhibits.Btw,those caravans are illuminated which probably explains the price tag.Electricity isnt cheap these days. gordon
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Post by cobber on Nov 21, 2014 14:26:16 GMT 10
OK Al, on your recommendation we did go in to have a look , located right next door to the 'Victor Trumper' oval in Paddington, worth the trip, had a drive around and an ice cream at Centennial Park  A never before seen view of the 'SEABREEZE' model (and Driftwood)  $5250 Each of the caravan models is about 12'' long, illuminated and furnished inside. 'Betsy'  $4750 The Rowvan  $4750 Inside the Rowvan  It's called 'The Cream van'  $4750 Fairley Kingston had a book launch at this exhibition. A limited edition book of short stories, some related to caravanning memories as a child, and illustrated with hand-printed linocuts by her brother Peter Kingston $1500 Remember........ if you don't buy this stuff, they'll stop making it Cobber. |
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Only because Al gave it such a good wrap in 2012.
