Iconic artwork by Australian artist Charles Tindall that was used to promote the Avoca Beach Guest House in 1911, will be used by the Avoca community to raise funds for a new community noticeboard.
The Tindall painting of the Avoca guest house was used on the cover of a tourist brochure and was found in the paperwork of another long-term Avoca resident, Norman Hunter Senior (the father of Norman Hunter who now owns the Avoca Cinema).
Mr Mike Rubbo is heading up the campaign to use the art work to raise money for the notice board. Mr Rubbo said he was delighted to have the work of Charles Tindall passed to him by Mr Hunter’s daughter, Ms Sarah Powter who found it within her father’s posessions.
“We fixed the image up and then conceived of the idea of selling it at the Avoca Markets and in the local gift shop (Sublime at Home) as 30cm by 40cm reprints. Charles Tindall was the founder of the modernist movement in Australia and the Avoca guest house brochure is the only known example of him doing commercial works.
According to Mr Rubbo, Henry Frederick Halloran owned the guest house at the time and was known to be an early and innovative developer. “He was the prince of the premature developers,” Mr Rubbo said. “He was quite a visionary who commissioned the art.
“We are hoping it will become an iconic image for the Avoca of today as it warns us not to overdevelop and to appreciate the natural beauty of the area,” he said. Mr Rubbo said he believed he was destined to find the work of Charles Tindall.
“The name Tindall rang a bell and it turns out there was an amazing connection. “Tindall and my grandfather, Antonio Dattilo Rubbo, were both on the selection committee for the Royal Art Society Show in 1916. “Tindall led a push not to have several works by Rubbo’s students, Roland Wakelin and Grace Cossington Smith hung, so Rubbo challenged Tindall to a duel.
“Tindall backed down and the works were hung. “My grandfather’s judgement has been upheld by history as ‘Down to Berry’s Bay’, the offending work, now has pride of place in the Art Gallery of NSW. Tindall was a famous water colorist, specialising in scenes of Sydney Harbour.
Email, 8 July 2015
Interview, 6 July 2015
Mike Rubbo, Avoca Beach
Community Noticeboard