Saturday 9 February 2013

Norman Lindsay Gallery

Recently, I was able to visit the Norman Lindsay Gallery at Faulconbridge, in the Blue Mountains, an hour or two west of Sydney. I've driven past the turnoff many, many times, and so when arranging a meeting in the Blue Mountains I thought of the gallery. I'm glad I did. It's an interesting place to visit.

An old house built in 1894 by one of the Foys department store family, then bought by Norman Lindsay in 1912. Norman was a talented artist, author and sculptor amongst many other pursuits.




The grounds are lovely with many of Norman's wonderful sculptures

And fountains

His wonderul paintings and etchings are well displayed



A replica of his painting studio
currently housed in the etching studio

I had no idea that he was quite the ship builder
there were many impressive ships
and even a book of his ships on display

My nephews were amazed at a rotary phone!

Saturday Snapshot, is a wonderful weekly meme from Alyce  at home with books

21 comments:

Susan said...

Beautiful photos as always! It looks like a fun trip. I love the phone. My mother-in-law had a rotary phone up until a few years ago. I remember my kids being completely confounded by it. Funny how something that I grew up using could be so utterly foreign to my children.

Hannah said...

Oh! I remember visiting this place as a kid! I remember feeling like I was being naughty, looking at the nudes...

BooksPlease said...

Looks a fascinating place to visit. Fancy a rotary phone being a novelty - it seems so ordinary to me, although it is years since I've seen one.

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

Gorgeous! Thanks for the tour...I don't know which part would be my favorite, but I do love interiors...and gardens...and sculpture. All of it?

Here's MY SATURDAY SNAPSHOT POST

Staci said...

Wow!! I want to visit there myself! I loved your photos and thanks so much for taking us along on the tour!!

Trish said...

What a beautiful place. My kids wouldn't know what to do with a rotary phone either.

Paulita said...

Oooh, I love the water lily photo the best. Here's Mine

Esme said...

I visited the Blue Mountains when I lived in Sydney, but I have never been to this house. It is lovely.

Jackie McGuinness said...

Thanks for stopping by and visiting me.
I love visiting places like this, great photos!

Irene said...

What a lovely adventure.

Susan Lindquist said...

Such a lovely place ... what a gorgeous atmosphere ... the gardens and greenery, the studio ...

Anonymous said...

A wondeful place to visit.
the sculpture in the photos, is it made of wood?
Very nice photos.

Lmkazmierczak said...

Looks like a gem of a place to visit...thanks for sharing♫ My SS: http://lore-eleven.blogspot.com/2013/02/icy-convex-mirror.html

Brona said...

I've also been meaning to visit this gallery. I drive by it regularly and still haven't done it!
Shipbuilder? You think you know all there is to know about an Australian icon...and then you learn something new like that!

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

I love the floors. The color is beautiful. I can imagine what the floors sound like when you walk on them. Beautiful.

Unknown said...

The statues were made of cement over moulded chicken wire ! He viewed them as private follies.
As they started to weather away, money was raised to have bronze replicas made of some of them.
Norman Lindsay was a genius and Renaissance man. A very significant Australian. However, he is disliked by the art authorities and it is very rare to find anything of his exhibited in state and national galleries. This is in contrast to the public's interest in him. When "The Legendary Lindsays" exhibition was held in Melbourne and Canberra? In1995, it was mobbed to the point that crowd control services were required and all merchandise was sold out. His home has its own National Trust website. His biography is out off print but your library might be able to get it. It's called "The Embattled Olympian". He also wrote many novels some of which were banned and censored. He was one of the cost to rebel in Australian wildlife and created the character of Billy Bluegum, a koala.

Unknown said...

One of the first to revel, it should say.

Leslie (Under My Apple Tree) said...

I had to laugh at the rotary phone, you just don't see those too often.

Elizabeth said...

Love the photos...phone is too cool.

Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Saturday Snapshot

Alyce said...

That's so funny that they were amused by the rotary phone! My family lived with my grandparents for several years, so I grew up using a rotary phone. I used to have dreams that I had dialed through almost all of the numbers, messed up and then had to start over again. :) My grandparents kept that phone until the phone company made them get rid of it about fifteen years ago.

skiourophile said...

I visited for the first time last year, and found it absolutely fascinating - such a gorgeous space, with the garden moving seamlessly into woodland. The studio was fascinating, too.