*FAVOURITES MOST WELCOME * THANKYOU the book cover I designed … and my Peace Dove
just found Zev Vel released the Symbol of Peace film,, fav.me/d5ladr7
The first badges were made by my father, Eric Austen of Kensington CND using white clay with the symbol painted black. Again there was a conscious symbolism. They were distributed with a note explaining that in the event of a nuclear war, these fired pottery badges would be among the few human artifacts to survive the nuclear inferno” …
“”we moved back to London from Weymouth , Dulwich to begin with when I was about 2 , and then to Sydney Street in Chelsea and 6 COTTAGE PLACE, opposite the then Brompton Oratory
by then I was five , my father was a teacher and had been to Highgate Art School [he worked as a fireman during the war in London, ]
he made pottery by hand and always used black and white,
I can remember having long arguments with him over this..as I loved colour, though he did use terracotta clay,
I was a child prodigy [or so my parents said] and I have acutely accurate memories of all of this time, I started ballet lessons when I was three,
because of my fathers beliefs he was one of the founders of the original Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament,
all I remember was sitting in our dining room at cottage place discussing the designs on paper which my father had drawn for the symbol for peace and helping him chose which one to use , which was then taken to a committee to be agreed on, it is more than likely that there were two or three people involved in this, one being Gerald Holtom,
but the first badges were my fathers idea, he had been making pottery jewellery at home, I used to go with him on the bus to have it fired in a big kiln, he used a makeshift container with his pottery in ,
once it was fired it was safe ,
he sat up until very late hand painting the first badges and meticulously glueing pins on the back, he also painted the banners for the first Aldermaston march
now I can actually remember all of this, very clearly, also the fact that out lives were in danger a couple of years after this and we had to move overnight form chelsea to hampstead,
my father and I had an exceptionally strong bond and for some reason used to confide in me.
so that seems to be a bit more history.. I didn’t mean to write so much !!!
Gea Annunziata
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Zev Vel, from DA made a film called The Symbol of Peace, which I am in talking about my father and the Symbol..www.facebook.com/PeaceFilm?ref…
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I’ve started drawing again after a 20 year break ! I only started last week so forgive my lack of ability,
its very hard to start again.. but I decided fractals were just not giving me my full reign..
its quite hard,, but the old feel of pencil and watercolour is a true joy,, so for me a new beginning .. Gea”