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Across the courtyard /
Collection code: Artworks. Artist description: “Across the Courtyard: Painted in 1985. Acrylic on canvas and sealed with several coats of varnish. I was teaching in TAFE in the old Eurobodalla Council Chambers in Campbell Street, Moruya. The TAFE consisted of a main building and an annexe. We held ‘NOW’ and later ‘WOW’ courses: New Opportunities for Women and Work Opportunities for women. These were some of the most successful courses held by TAFE, in terms of participation and careers and further education taken by the women who participated in the programs. We started in the annexe. A couple of classrooms, a kitchen and a backroom, which was exclusively for childcare! Childcare was built into the courses. These were courses obviously designed by women for women. When you stood in the childcare room and looked cross the courtyard you would look through to the old stained glass windows in the main building. This housed the building and welding courses, and some hobby pottery and art classes.” Artist description, continued: “The strong sunlight would make the windows appear dark and the basic stained glass would contrast against the typical green painted government building. Windows are looked out of and into – opportunities arise as one contemplates the possibilities of what lies outside and what is being done inside. I wanted only to depict the architectural basic shapes and dividing walls. Grey is neutral and always open to having contrasting colours/objects placed against it. In some ways the inside was the same as the outside - especially once you removed the women and their children. The changes being made between teachers and students were a strong contrast to the plainness of the architecture. This was a wonderful time even in, or perhaps because of, the tiny spaces and original decoration surviving in this old building.” -- Louise Megaloconomos.