Book launch for talented artist

The town of many talents will showcase another of its own on Saturday, as Hope Vale’s Roy McIvor launches his book “Cockatoo: My Life In Cape York”.

The book launch and signing will be held at Nature’s Powerhouse on Saturday, December 11 from 11.30am.

Mr McIvor released his book in Melbourne on September 8 this year, at his most recent art exhibition, “Design for Happiness: Bubu Garrbundhirr”.

The book includes reproductions of Mr McIvor’s artwork, and tells of his love of combining traditional Indigenous art with abstract form as it weaves its way through Mr McIvor’s life and local history.

“I’ve got Indigenous stories to tell through abstract art,” Mr McIvor told the Cooktown Local News.

“I still look back at the old way, that kind of style.”

A guest at this year’s Brisbane Writers Festival, Mr McIvor said nature had provided the inspiration for the colours in the artworks published in the book.

“I thought about my art, and how nature gives us those colours, and how I can turn that into beautiful art.”

Jo Wynter, who helped edit the book, said the book was a beautifully told, powerful history of Hope Vale and the Guugu Yimithirr people.

“The collection of photos is remarkable, coming from many sources, including the great grandson of ‘Muni’, the missionary George Schwartz who arrived at Cape Bedford in 1887 as a 19-year-old,” Ms Wynter said.

Mr McIvor’s wife Thelma McIvor said publishers Magabala Books had jumped at the chance to publish Roy’s book.

“It is an important story to be told,” It’s a version that hasn’t been told, an Indigenous perspective of the local history.

“It became workable because Roy had wanted to tell his story and it came together with a clear memory of Roy’s story, even from a young age.”

Mrs McIvor said people of all ages had enjoyed Roy’s book.

“This will be a source for the young people to connect back to their history – a history they can place themselves in,” Mrs McIvor said.

Mr McIvor said he had enjoyed the process of writing the book, sitting around the table telling stories to his scribes Margie Callaghan and Karien Francois.

“The book has come about after a few years’ work, with help from some wonderful people who listened and helped me write my story,” Mr McIvor said.

“They were fantastic; it was an enormous job they got done. I would like to thank these people so much.

“During those times, the story was already there in my head, it was there ready.

“The way it was done was really good, the spirit of understanding was there and we all got on very well.”
Mrs Francois described working with Ms Callaghan as Mr McIvor’s writers as an incredible honour and a fantastic learning experience.

“We spent many hours recording Uncle Roy telling his story,” Mrs Francois said.

“At night we spent many more transcribing the recordings, sequencing and editing the stories.”

Mr McIvor said local graphic designer John Lang had helped the publishers put the book design together.

“Cockatoo: My Life In Cape York” is published by Magabala with assistance from an Arts Queensland grant.

By AMANDA HOGBIN

Issue 493 Dec 10th 2010