Catherine Kingsmill Memory Collective (Part One): Felicity, Mavis, Tara, Vicki, and Tory

FELICITY 2014

Tumbled Hunter Valley coal from Stockton Beach, tumbled ocean coal from Merewether Beach, imported Chinese pebbles, adhesive on plywood

Felicity Thomson was born and raised in the Hunter Region before studying mining engineering and joining the family firm at Four Mile near Maitland on Wonnarua Country where she worked for many years while raising a family. Since then, her working life has expanded to include occupations such as counselling, volunteer firefighting, philanthropy, property development and farming, with a particular interest in biodynamic methodology.

MAVIS 2024

Salvaged pages from de-accessioned Maitland City Library books, wood adhesive, sewing thread, cardboard on plywood

Mavis Cribb was born in Muswellbrook on Wonnarua Country in 1915 and embarked on a service career as a librarian in 1937. After subsequent training at the State Library in Sydney/Gadigal and in England, she took up the position as Librarian in Chief at the Maitland Library in 1949 and retired in 1977. She was proud of her influence, through the provision of information to the community of Maitland. Her position afforded her great status in the community where she became well-known and highly respected, being invited to many civic functions. Cribb Lane is named after her.

TARA 2024

Australian native seed pods, naturalised exotic seed pods, Pacific shells, Hunter Valley river stones, oyster shells, Pacific fish bones, Hunter Valley twigs and Hunter Valley coal dust on plywood

Tara Dever is a proud Wiradjiri woman. After growing up on Wonnarua Country in Maitland, she studied at the University of Newcastle as a very young mother. Excelling in her degree, especially in the area of Sociology, she embarked on a career that now places her as Chief Executive Officer of Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council. A strong advocate for First Nations people, education, social justice and the local environment, Tara has overseen a number of programs with profound benefits to our community.

VICKI 2024

Used wine and champagne corks, wood adhesive, acrylic paint on plywood

Vicki Woods served as a Councillor for Maitland City located on Wonnarua Country for many years and has been a longstanding benefactor to emerging local artists through the creation of the Brenda Clouten Memorial Art Scholarship in 2005, named after her dear friend who had then recently passed away. Vicki is also a generous donor to medical research and has for many years shaped the palates of Maitland, working tirelessly in the hospitality industry as a wine educator and hotelier for over 30 years. She has sat on a number of boards connected to the Australian wine industry and is a longstanding member of the Hunter Wine Club.

TORY 2024

Pacific oyster shells, Sydney rock oyster shells, Coffin Bay scallop shell, Hunter Valley coal dust and adhesive on plywood

Tory Clancy moved from Glebe in Gadigal/Sydney to Wonnarua country in Maitland, working in her parents’ hotel bar and restaurant for 15 years. After her parents returned to Sydney, Tory stayed. She’d fallen in love with the Maitland area, but more importantly, with her chef husband Brent. Alongside Brent, Tory put their life savings on the line and planned and built their new venture while raising their young son.

The result, Salt, Chilli & Lime, is an intimate carbon-neutral seafood restaurant which operates as a destination for cross generational interaction in Maitland.