Opal Poetry, Art and Music
Here is an introduction to “The Arts”, poetry, painting, photography and music all of which have been stimulated by our wonderful National Gemstone “Precious opal”.
Listening as I often do, to the ABC classical radio station this piece of music was presented to the listeners. So I was inspired first of all to find out who Phillip Houghton was and what his experience with opal at Lightning Ridge was, (see the video below). I then also remembered that my colleague and opalholic John Krook had informed me of several other Australian musicians had also published works on their experiences with opal and opal mining towns in Australia. We will post more music inspired by opal shortly.
Also amongst the arts, are a a number of opal “people” so inspired by precious opal as to commit to specialised photography, and painting. Such people are Robert Smith with specialised close-up photography and seen on his website www.blackopalpatterns.com.au. At present this website is not available, so we are working on bringing you this photography shortly.
Roberts inspired photography has also been seen in the photographs provided for the recently released series of opal fossil stamps for Australia Post.
From a photographic point of view, Rudy Weber has also spent may hours photographing precious opal and aspects of the opal fields of Australia.
OPAL POETRY
Peter Sherman related this poem to the audience at the recent Coober Pedy symposium:
A beautiful poem sent to my Grandfather, Ernie Sherman, in 1935 by Margaret McEwin and addressed: To A Connoisseur Mr Sherman with kind regards.
Opals
Morning and evening, midday and night,
Mingling their shades, in varying light
A palette set out, for painting a scene,
A wizard no doubt, mixed that wonderful green.
Does the rainbow begin, in the earth where they lie?
Does the dawn meet the sunset, combining their dye?
Some are like moonlight, spangled with stars,
A white cloister-gate, with gleaming gold bars!
A carnival night, streamers and flowers,
Balloons gay and bright, confetti: in showers!
Flames in mosaic, sparkling and gay,
Then prim and prosaic, with a pallor of grey!
Like a cheery light, at a journey’s end,
A fireside bright and a fireside friend.
Peter Sherman also related this piece of opal literature whilst at the recent opal symposium at Coober Pedy (2021).
The Birth of and Opal
From time immemorial, whenever a rainbow appeared in the sky in Australia, the fairies snipped a piece from each end. Then came the thought of how to keep these treasures of wonderous colours safe from greedy covetous man. Surely there was no safer hiding place than in the rocks deep down in mother earth……But here the fairies themselves might so easily lose their treasures, as they could return for them by night only. So by alchemy known to the fairies only, they wrapped these tissues of unbelievable lovely and gloriously blended colours around unquenchable sparks of fire. thus as it were. lamps with red, green, blue, yellow and mauve flames to reveal these secret places, within which, every movement , the fire glows and flames up in the heart of this colour and ——-BEHOLD—— an opal was born.
Poetry from “quartz family minerals”
dake, fleener and wilson”1938”
THE OPAL
Iris dwells in thee and throws
Rays of leaf green and rose
Limpid amber courseth through
Violet glooms fading hue.
If some stranger should inquire
Whence thy swift caprices came,
Morn-mist, closing evening flame-
Do thou, kindling answer bring
Many passioned, lambent thing;
Say with cosmic throe was born
All thy life of love and scorn,
Yet not chance but deathless law
Bred thy beauty from a flaw Speak,
thou, too, with perfect heart,
Whose perfection springs heart, like thine,
From some touch of scath divine.
Art by “CASTRO”….CLIVE HEARD.
Also of note are paintings by “Castro” or Clive Heard, two photographs are displayed here, more of Clive’s story will be detailed in “Opal People”.
As a beginning, Castro was English born and worked as a zookeeper in Auckland New Zealand we think looking after Hippopotamus. He moved to Lightning Ridge in the 1960’s, and then to Glengarry, in the 70’s. After leaving the fields for Sydney, Clive turned artist in 1995.
MUSIC BY PHILLIP HOUGHTON
The magic of Opal not only lies in the stone itself, but also in the way it inspires people. The Opal Academy came across a piece of music, performed by the Late Phillip Houghton. You discover more of Phillip’s music here.
If you find yourself musically inclined, you can also purchase the sheet music for this piece here.
AUSTRALIAN STAMP ISSUES INSPIRED BY OPAL
History provides a number of postage stamps issued by the now Australia Post department that depict precious opal….more information will be provided later. In the mean time examples of Australian opal “stamp” issues are provided below.
The most recent stamp issue to be released by Australia post - More information of the story to come.
In 1995 this special stamp issue was made available, the two opal pictured were the result of special manufacturing techniques allowing an imprint of special iridescence to the opal pictures. The stamp issue was launched at the gala dinner in the Australian Museum in Sydney. More information to come!
A photograph of one of the original opal stamps issued by Australia post in a series based on Australian gemstones.
