Sugar Bag, Dolly's Story, 2009, screenprint, intaglio print, watercolour on BFK Rives paper, image size 39x54 cm. The background rectangles are made by printing the surface of two of mum's aluminium baking trays. One of this edition of 6 prints has been acquired for the collection of Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale, Vic. This work relates a story our mum Amy (Dolly) Peterson (1917 - 2011) used to tell the family about her father Selwyn (Sam) Cunningham. I asked mum to write down her story when she was in her late 80s and I duplicated her hand in this print work. After Selwyn came back from active service in the First World War he was employed as road crew by the local Alberton Shire (now Wellington Shire). 'Whitford Hill' I understand is in Won Wron, the road crew would set up camp each week in the area they were working.
The handwriting reads: "This is about Selwyn Cunningham, Alberton Shire. Dad biked every week from Port Albert to his camp Whitford Hill one spot, with his food on his back in a sugar-bag. One week came home mid-week for fresh food, the pigs had raided the camp. On the Shire one contractor changed dad’s name to Sam – Selwyn was too flash he said."
