Full Circle: An International Celebration Exhibition

Tacit Art, Melbourne, Australia.

Witnessing the closure of many art colleges in England prompted memories of her art student days for Liz. She became keenly aware of the artistic training, skills and opportunities being lost. In response, she decided to arrange the Full Circle exhibition as a rallying cry to those trying to preserve such opportunities for future generations in both the UK and Australia. 

Liz tracked down and brought together ten ceramics students and lecturers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in the late 1980s and early 1990s, to showcase the incredible work they are still producing 30 years later through careers in the arts. Work they would be unable to create without the training and skills they received at RMIT. 

Liz included a series of glass panels featuring the Pennine Way in this headline exhibition, transporting her stunning Yorkshire surroundings to the heart of Melbourne in Tacit Art.

Mainly featuring ceramics (whilst all continue with their art practice, some have branched out into other media), the exhibition also included works by David Ray, Sharon Muir, Fiona Hiscock, Fleur Rendell, Marianne Huhn and Danny McCubbin along with past lecturers Sally Cleary, Kim Martin and Christopher Sanders. The fact that the individual artists are now based around the world, including in the UK, Italy and France as well as Australia, added an extra dimension to the exhibition.

This exhibition represented a personal ‘full circle’ moment for Liz.

Liz has written more about the journey she has taken in a heartfelt tribute to her mother, Dorothy Lugg:

“Dorothy Lugg was born in 1926. At the age of 14 she received a one-year secretarial scholarship and with her new touch typing, shorthand and office keeping skills, she entered the work force full time in 1941. She was 15. She filled a ‘man’s’ role at a small firm in Elizabeth Street in the city of Melbourne. World War 2 broke out shortly afterwards. 

Later, as a family, she supported us with her office skills, but her heart was elsewhere. Art was her lifelong hobby and great passion.

With me she shared her love of the impressionist painters of the Heidelberg school – particularly Arthur Streeton and Tom Roberts – and their capturing of the light, the ‘moment’ of the Australian Bush.

Dot was a dreamer, and, in our childhood, she introduced us to the fun of fairy tales, magic carpet bags, pumpkins and coaches, industrial chimney towers and imaginative atmospheres. 

Dot encouraged me to explore across the decorative arts, from ancient and contemporary crafting skills to modern technologies, abstract thinking, alchemy. 

Always, she emphasised never to forget the people, friends, colleagues of shared times and learning and to strive to inspire future generations through education. 

I frustrated her with my inability to spell as she moved with such confidence and ease in this area. She could spell anything and proudly competed with principles and librarians at various schools where she later worked. 

Then, at 35, I was diagnosed with severe Dyslexia. Life Changing! This understanding has enabled my confidence to grow, to enjoy and realise at last the benefits of my education and subsequently to organise this exhibition. 

The circle has turned now, completed at last as I return to my roots bringing memories and reflections of my new home in Yorkshire, UK, to celebrate with old friends and colleagues from Melbourne. 

Thank you, Mum.”