The Fifth National summer School in Computer Aided Art & Design was staged at Curtin University, Perth. The air-conditioned computer rooms at Technology Park provided a sense of the unreal, being cool when outside the temperature was 40 degrees Celsius, but an outside one couldn’t see. The artists at the school named the computer labs the ‘Space Lab”.
Perth based artist and Curtin University Computer Centre employee, Sue Perry coordinated the equipment needs of the school and then went on to provide valuable, patient tuition. Adelaide based artist, John Tonkin was the other full time artist tutor in the program. Curtin provided two technical support staff, who not only had technical knowledge but appropriate software teaching skills as well.
Jon McCormack, the Melbourne based animator visited the school for four days, demonstrating Wavefront software on a Silicon Graphic machine. John discussed and presented his work to the participants. Silicon Graphics provided the machine on loan for the period and Integrated Technical Software provided Wavefront, a $40,000AUD software package.
Macintosh, Silicon Graphics, Amiga platforms and IB computers were all taught. John Tonkin taught all the programs on the Amiga computers, that being the platform in which most of his experience lies. Three top of the line Amiga computers, keys and software were provided by Headlam Computers. Mr Tonkin also taught Infini D, a three dimensional software package that runs on Macintosh.
The following artists participated in the school:
- Linda Carolli (QLD)
- Elizabeth Edwards (QLD)
- Caellaigh Norman (SA)
- Steven Housten (SA)
- Tom Kantor (Vic)
- Alyson Bell (Vic)
- Mahalya Middlemist (NSW)
- Kathy Smith (NSW)
- Felix Ratcliffe (Tas)
- Martin Walch (Tas)
- Dorothy Erickson (WA)
- Martin Phillips (WA)
- Erica Cheu Yen doing (WA)
- Moo-Hon Hiew (WA)
Sponsors:
Silicon Graphics
Integrated Technical Software
Headlam Computers & Software
Tektronix Australia Pty Ltd
WA Department for the Arts
Arts Tasmania
SA Department for the Arts & Cultural Development
Arts Queensland
NSW Ministry for the Arts
Victorian Ministry for the Arts
Tags: digital technologies, intensive masterclass, Summer School
