Vanessa Smith (née Lambe)

I began in 1932 after two years of twice weekly art lessons, won in a Red Cross Poster Competition. I did ‘Antique’ on Saturday mornings with dear Lois Laughton, and I think that it must have been she who suggested the GCAS. So as soon as I was 14 there I was at Art School.

I remember the first year we had a dark green overall type garment which pulled through and tied at the back – with a lighter green collar and piping. In 1933 there appears to have been a prep class as well as first, second, third and fourth years.

I was lucky enough to obtain a job with Clarkson Ltd in Rundle Street doing stained glass church windows, particularly ones with figure work in them.

I loved my work and the wonderful family feeling in the firm of Clarkson Limited. I continued with theatre advertising and other art work and am still painting. The stained glass work is in a number of South Australian churches in Adelaide and the country.

So hasn’t it been wonderful to have a job that one really enjoyed and loved doing – always – whatever it happened to be.

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