Irena Sibley
Encyclopedia
Irena Sibley born Irena Justina Pauliukonis, was an Australia
n artist, writer, illustrator of children's books, and art teacher.
in 1946 when Irena was a baby. The Pauliukonis family immigrated to Australia via refugee camps in Freiburg, Germany, where her brother Vidas was born, and Naples, Italy
. The family arrived in Sydney, Australia
on 31 December 1949 and settled in Bathurst
, before establishing their family home in Cabramatta
in Sydney’s western suburbs.
Irena Pauliukonis married artist Andrew Sibley in 1967 and had two sons, Benedict and Jonathan. The Sibley family lived in Albert Park
, where she was involved in the Save Albert Park protest movement against the Australian Grand Prix
in the 1990s.
The Sibley family established a property and artists' studio in Flowerdale, Victoria
in the 1970s and 1980s, with spectacular terraced gardens which have been featured in House & Garden magazine
. The property was successfully defended by the family from the Black Saturday (2009) bushfires, with only minor damage sustained, due largely to a sprinkler system and the strategic planting of fire retardant vegetation.
in Sydney. In 1967, she established the art department at Xavier preparatory school) in Melbourne, and taught there on and off for 13 years. She was an art teacher at Firbank Girls' Grammar School
from 1982 to 2007.
Her first book, Rainbow, was published in 1980, as both a children's book and hand-made Artist's Book, and her children's books have included the best-selling The Bilbies' First Easter, When the Sun Took the Colours Away (1991), and Zara's Zoo, (2001). Sibley's art works are held in the collections of the State Library of Victoria
and the National Library of Australia
, as well as many private collections.
Sibley has published over a dozen children's books, six handmade limited-edition books, and many bookplates for private collectors. Her artwork employs a range of techniques, including hand-coloured linocut
s, scratchboard
, and, later in her career, acrylic paint
ing. Stylistically, her work can reflect Eastern European printmaking traditions, as well as contemporary representations of Australia's natural environment.
and fauna
. This love is reflected in many of her works, particularly An Alphabet of Australian Wildflowers (1988) and her Easter Bilby
series. Irena Sibley believed that rabbits pose a serious threat to Australia's natural environment (see Environmental issues in Australia
) and supported moves to replace the Easter Bunny
with the "Easter Bilby" in Australian Easter celebrations.
Sibley produced three Easter Bilby books between 1994 and 2000, the best-selling The Bilbies' First Easter (1994), The Bilby and the Bunyip (1998) and Grandma Bilby Mr Budge and the Easter Tree (2000).
In 2008, Sibley claimed the Keith Wingrove Award, a national accolade that recognises excellence in book plate art and design. Sibley received the book plate award for her work for artist Charles Blackman
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n artist, writer, illustrator of children's books, and art teacher.
Personal life
Her mother Anele and father Zenonas Pauliukonis fled communist-occupied LithuaniaLithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
in 1946 when Irena was a baby. The Pauliukonis family immigrated to Australia via refugee camps in Freiburg, Germany, where her brother Vidas was born, and Naples, Italy
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. The family arrived in Sydney, Australia
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 31 December 1949 and settled in Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
, before establishing their family home in Cabramatta
Cabramatta, New South Wales
Cabramatta is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Cabramatta is located 30 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Fairfield...
in Sydney’s western suburbs.
Irena Pauliukonis married artist Andrew Sibley in 1967 and had two sons, Benedict and Jonathan. The Sibley family lived in Albert Park
Albert Park, Victoria
Albert Park is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip. At the 2006 Census, Albert Park had a population of 5827....
, where she was involved in the Save Albert Park protest movement against the Australian Grand Prix
Australian Grand Prix
The Australian Grand Prix is a motor race held annually and is held to be the pinnacle of motor racing in Australia. The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition held in Australia having been held 76 times since it was first run at Phillip Island in 1928. Since 1985 the race has...
in the 1990s.
The Sibley family established a property and artists' studio in Flowerdale, Victoria
Flowerdale, Victoria
Flowerdale is a town in Victoria, Australia. The town is located in the Shire of Murrindindi Local Government Area, from the state capital, Melbourne...
in the 1970s and 1980s, with spectacular terraced gardens which have been featured in House & Garden magazine
House & Garden (magazine)
House & Garden was an American shelter magazine published by Condé Nast Publications that focused on interior design, entertaining, and gardening....
. The property was successfully defended by the family from the Black Saturday (2009) bushfires, with only minor damage sustained, due largely to a sprinkler system and the strategic planting of fire retardant vegetation.
Career
Irena Sibley graduated in Fine Arts in 1964 from the National Art SchoolNational Art School
The National Art School is an art school in Sydney, Australia. It is a Public Company Limited by Guarantee with a board of directors. It has Institutional Registration and Course Accreditation supported by the DET Higher Education Directorate....
in Sydney. In 1967, she established the art department at Xavier preparatory school) in Melbourne, and taught there on and off for 13 years. She was an art teacher at Firbank Girls' Grammar School
Firbank Girls' Grammar School
Firbank Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school, situated in the suburb of Brighton, in the bayside area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
from 1982 to 2007.
Her first book, Rainbow, was published in 1980, as both a children's book and hand-made Artist's Book, and her children's books have included the best-selling The Bilbies' First Easter, When the Sun Took the Colours Away (1991), and Zara's Zoo, (2001). Sibley's art works are held in the collections of the State Library of Victoria
State Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria is the central library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. It is on the block bounded by Swanston, La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets, in the northern centre of the central business district...
and the National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
, as well as many private collections.
Sibley has published over a dozen children's books, six handmade limited-edition books, and many bookplates for private collectors. Her artwork employs a range of techniques, including hand-coloured linocut
Linocut
Linocut is a printmaking technique, a variant of woodcut in which a sheet of linoleum is used for the relief surface. A design is cut into the linoleum surface with a sharp knife, V-shaped chisel or gouge, with the raised areas representing a reversal of the parts to show printed...
s, scratchboard
Scratchboard
Scratchboard or scraperboard is a technique where drawings are created using sharp knives and tools for etching into a thin layer of white China clay that is coated with black India ink. Scratchboard can also be made with several layers of multi-colored clay, so the pressure exerted on the...
, and, later in her career, acrylic paint
Acrylic paint
Acrylic paint is fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry...
ing. Stylistically, her work can reflect Eastern European printmaking traditions, as well as contemporary representations of Australia's natural environment.
Easter Bilby Works
Irena Sibley was a passionate environmentalist, with a love for Australia's native floraFlora of Australia
The flora of Australia comprises a vast assemblage of plant species estimated to over 20,000 vascular and 14,000 non-vascular plants, 250,000 species of fungi and over 3,000 lichens...
and fauna
Fauna of Australia
The fauna of Australia consists of a huge variety of animals; some 83% of mammals, 89% of reptiles, 90% of fish and insects and 93% of amphibians that inhabit the continent are endemic to Australia...
. This love is reflected in many of her works, particularly An Alphabet of Australian Wildflowers (1988) and her Easter Bilby
Easter Bilby
- Origin :Bilbies are native Australian marsupials that are endangered. To raise money and increase popular awareness of conservation efforts, bilby-shaped chocolates and related merchandise are sold within many stores throughout Australia as an alternative to Easter bunnies.The first documented...
series. Irena Sibley believed that rabbits pose a serious threat to Australia's natural environment (see Environmental issues in Australia
Environmental issues in Australia
Environmental issues in Australia describes a number of environmental issues which affect the environment of Australia. There are a range of such issues, some of them relating to conservation in Australia while others, for example the deteriorating state of Murray-Darling Basin, have a direct and...
) and supported moves to replace the Easter Bunny
Easter Bunny
The Easter Bunny or Easter Rabbit is a character depicted as a rabbit bringing Easter eggs, who sometimes is depicted with clothes...
with the "Easter Bilby" in Australian Easter celebrations.
Sibley produced three Easter Bilby books between 1994 and 2000, the best-selling The Bilbies' First Easter (1994), The Bilby and the Bunyip (1998) and Grandma Bilby Mr Budge and the Easter Tree (2000).
Written and illustrated children's books
- Rainbow, Gryphon Books 1980
- The Other Tansy, Sugar and Snails 1985
- William the Wizard Who Wasn’t, Five Mile Press 1986
- When Herb’s Mess Grew, Reed Heinemann 1990
- When the Sun Took the Colours Away, Heinemann 1992
- The Bilbies First Easter, Silver Gum Press 1994
- The Bird Woman, Silver Gum Press 1995
- The Bilby and the Bunyip, Lothian 1998
- Grandma Bilby Mr Budge and the Easter Tree, Lothian 2000
- Zara’s Zoo, an Abcedaria, Lothian 2001
- Greta the Garbo Lothian 2002
Illustrated children's books
- The Trouble with Peggety (author: Mary Small), Roo books 1984
- The Last Voyage of the Araminta (author Lynne Duncan), Sensicorn Books, 1985
- The Lady Down the Road (author Jill Morris), Silver Gum Press 1994
- The Wish Flower (author: Jen McVeity), Heinemann 1996
- In Big Trouble (author: Dianne Bates), Zipper books 1996
Handmade limited-edition books
- Rainbow, 1980
- William the Wizard Who Wasn’t (three variations), 1985, 1986
- The Calming of Harry, 1987
- An Alphabet of Australian Wildflowers, 1988
- When Herb’s Mess Grew, 1989
- When the Sun Took the Colours Away, 1991
Other works
- Self Portrait of the Artist's Wife, Lytlewode Press 2007
- Ode to Living Things (author: Lynne Strahan Duncan) 2009
Collections and awards
Irena Sibley's limited-edition books and original artworks are held in many private collections in Australia, Europe, Japan, and the U.S., and in public collections including:- Firbank Girls' Grammar SchoolFirbank Girls' Grammar SchoolFirbank Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school, situated in the suburb of Brighton, in the bayside area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
- National Library of AustraliaNational Library of AustraliaThe National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
- State Library of QueenslandState Library of QueenslandThe State Library of Queensland is a large public library provided to the people of the State of Queensland, Australia, by the state government. Its legislative basis is provided by the Queensland Libraries Act 1988...
- University of MelbourneUniversity of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
- State Library of New South WalesState Library of New South WalesThe State Library of New South Wales is a large public library owned by the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Macquarie Street, Sydney near Shakespeare Place...
(Mitchell Wing) - State Library of VictoriaState Library of VictoriaThe State Library of Victoria is the central library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. It is on the block bounded by Swanston, La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets, in the northern centre of the central business district...
In 2008, Sibley claimed the Keith Wingrove Award, a national accolade that recognises excellence in book plate art and design. Sibley received the book plate award for her work for artist Charles Blackman
Charles Blackman
Charles Blackman is one of the best known Australian artists still living today, especially for the famous Schoolgirl and Alice in Wonderland series of the 1950s...
.