The artist Susan Saunders in front of one of her works
Susan: While with a group of friends at a function, Algis and I were introduced by a mutual friend and he introduced me to the Geelong Lithuanian community by attending the 2 or 3 cabarets a year and meeting his friends. About 6 years ago Aldona Scano invited me to join the Lithuanian Choir, which I enjoy very much.
When our Community Chairman, Mr Stan Šutas, first asked me to organise the Art Exhibition last year, I felt, because I had never done one before, a little apprehensive. Regardless, I accepted and seconded my partner Algis into helping me, including attending the committee meetings.
It was a slow process. First we had to find the venue - most had already been pre-booked, or were not open during that particular week. We finally settled on a small hall "Virginia Todd Hall" surrounded by car parking areas and readily accessible in West Geelong. The hall was also close to the West Geelong Town Hall. We organised the supply of screens to hang the pictures on from the Geelong Art Society, of which I am a member.
In the meantime we had to design forms and put together lists of prospective artists, send out flyers, arrange to have a web-site page designed, etc. and wait for entries to arrive.
For a few months it looked like we were not going to get any response. However, in the last month they arrived in a rush, including quite a few from the "Under 18 years" section, which was quite pleasing.
Isolde: And you succeeded. Speaking for myself, Im very grateful to you and Algis for fostering Lithuanian arts. I was also told that you are an artist, and I was wondering if the sculpture of the owl I happened to see was one of your works? When did you first feel the urge to create sculptures and pictures that I see around me hanging on the walls? There is also an unfinished one on the easel? That is yours, isnt it?
Susan: I first became interested in drawing at the age of about 6 or 7, but it was not until my early 20s that a visiting Parish Priest in Melbourne noticed my sketches and asked me to do a portrait in oil of the churchs patron saint St. Thomas Moore. I explained I had not painted before, but he encouraged me to try. I did. The Irish priest has since died, but I believe the painting is still hanging, either in the church or the vestry. So for a few years I dabbled in oils, which I enjoyed very much.
After moving to Geelong my art was put on hold for many years. Algis noticed some of my early works and encouraged me to take it up again. I first enrolled with a hobby class, then did a short art course at the Gordon Institute and am currently a student at the Geelong Art Society.
Now, talking of the owl that you saw - yes, it is my first sculpture. It was while I attended an arts course at the Gordon Institute in Geelong. The teacher asked us to think of something that we would like to create from a block of sandstone. That is how my owl came about.
Isolde: Is pastel painting your preferred art medium? What attracts you to it?
Susan: For the last two years I have concentrated on pastel painting and have found the medium suits me very well. It is so much cleaner, faster and hardly any cleaning up when finished for the day.
Susan Saunders with the Australian Lithuanian choir in 2003,on the way to the
World Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival in Vingis Park, Vilnius, Lithuania
World Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival in Vingis Park, Vilnius, Lithuania
Susan: Yes, I am definitely a realist, and prefer to paint people, animals and birds.
Isolde: Did you and Algis receive any feedback from the public that came to see the exhibition? As I understand the first prize in the junior section was awarded to Miles Davis (5 years) for his "Seascape" in acrylic paint and in the established painters category the first prize was awarded to the Sydney artist Leeka Kraucevičiūtė-Gruzdeff for her oil painting "Lithuanian Village".
Susan: The visiting public appeared to enjoy themselves at the exhibition and many said they were pleased to see that we especially encouraged the children by tempting them with many section prizes. There were a lot of happy faces, both children and parents, at the presentation. We hope we have encouraged some future famous artists!
Isolde: Letshope so! By the way, my friends, Birutė and Vytautas Vaitkus, told me in Geelong that you and Algis have visited Lithuania. What were your impressions of the country and the people?
Susan: In June of 2003 Algis and I joined with some other choir members from Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney to attend the "Song and Dance Festival" in Vilnius / Lithuania. We sang at Vingis Park with a total of 18,000 Lithuanian members from all over the world. And the 7 km long procession of choristers meandering on the streets lined with cheering crowds all the way with the sun shining upon us all. It was an amazing experience. I felt like visiting royalty. However, halfway through the concert a thunderstorm occurred and we were really rained upon, but ir didnt dampen our spirits at all. Fortunately the rain did not last too long. We attended many other concerts and it was the most enjoyable cultural experience I ever had.
We also visited quite a few places in Lithuania. I was enchanted with the old cities so full of history, castles and rural countryside. So green, so beautiful! Christmas trees, so large, everywhere! The markets - a ladys delight. We attended a "Joninės" (longest day) festival while at Druskininkai, and the children made beautiful coronets from wild flowers growing at our feet. The dancing and singing was wonderful and the "Bon Fire" jumping was very entertaining.
Isolde: Would you like to organise another Lithuanian exhibition and what are your future plans?
Susan: It is highly unlikely that Geelong will host another "Lietuvių Dienų" Festival. So, I doubt if I will be asked to do this again. As for my future plans - as far as painting goes, I will continue learning all I can and gathering experience at every opportunity.
Isolde: Thank you, Susan, for your interview and time.
Isolde Poželaitė - Davis AM
Geelong, 2007