By Stanley Greaves
The Compact Oxford dictionary states that art is “The expression of creative skill in a visual form such as painting and sculpture”. The philosopher and critic Susanne Langer writes, “Art is the creation of perceptible forms expressive of human feelings,” which expressions, I would add, can be found in any culture. The combined statements best suit what is about to be expressed. One also has to bear in mind that a culture encompasses everything that takes place in any community great or small. What must be considered are existing conditions that not only allow such expressions to exist but to support the activity as well.
My first meeting with George Simon took place in the late 1970s, when he visited my home. He introduced himself as studying printmaking in the UK. I was surprised to see a young person of Indigenous origin studying art in the UK. I knew of artist Marjorie Broodhagen and ceramist Stephanie Correia having a similar Indigenous background, but only Broodhagen had studied abroad. George explained that he was in his final year and was having problems about the kind of themes he wanted to explore, with the biggest problem being how such expressions would be received. I had faced the similar problem myself in the UK—thinking of themes to paint. This was resolved when Murray McCheyne, the tutor, suggested sculpture.