Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Southend Art School 60's


Partly as a response to an e-mail I got yesterday from Fred Eve, who went to the art school at the same time as me (1963/64) I am re-posting some old photos taken at the time.
Above is the old painting room. Thats Fred I think in the glasses and that's me in the silk screened jacket trying to blend in! That painting was based on the grinding surfaces of a hippos tooth or was it a rhino? I'm pretending to stick a bath sponge onto it with the power of my mind.

Ned Newitt sent me this photo - he's at the front in the duffle coat. The others are Richard Poole, Fred Eve, Vic Mills, Richard Woods and me. We all look intent on going somewhere to do something very arty but not sure what it was!? Probably just to Garons to buy some cakes.

This is taken outside the old dining hall. I think these are Ned Newitt, Richard Woods, Vic Mills and Rick Cox with Russell Colombo lurking in the background.
Vic and Russ were employed to take the dining tickets on the door for which they got a free meal. I always took a sandwich or went to Garons to buy a sausage roll or a bun being a penniless art student. This must be 1963 or '64. A couple of years later the old art school was bull dozed to make way for a roundabout and it was moved to the high rise block as part of the Technical College. Very sad. The dining hall was used some years later by Richard Turpin to make garden urns in. I helped or hindered - I cant remember . I think Bill Freeth rented it also as a studio for making his ceramics.

7 comments:

Coffee Messiah said...

Wow, those were the daze, eh!

Thanks for sharing and really like the 1st one and UR blending in ; )

BTW, my previous post has 3 minutes showing some of neosho's stamps.

Cheers!

the previous collage is quite funny. I think I know a few of those folks.

Wastedpapiers said...

Thanks for dropping by CM. Yes, it was a long time ago but still quite vivid in my mind - more than last year anyway!

I'll pop over and have a look at Neosho's stamps. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

There is now a facebook group site for southend art school 1960s. Please join and add your photo album from that time. We're rather shorter of images but rich in memories. Thank you

Wastedpapiers said...

I had a look for the Southend Art School 1960's but couldn't see it Anon/ Can you provide a link?

Anonymous said...

Wonderful to see some old art school friends. I've been in contact with Rick Cox but no one else so far. Other ex students may well like to read my own blog entry 'Fanfare for the Commer Van' on the 'Captain's Blog' at 'scruffie'

Wastedpapiers said...

Thanks anon. Interesting insight into the workings of the commer van but not much about the art school. Did you really go there?! Just a reminder that there is now a FaceBook group about Southend Art School and all ex students and staff are welcome.

Ray Mumford said...

I was there mid 1960's then the idiot planners on the council bulldozed it - 60 years of history flattened - vandals.