Caroline Wood and Leon Pericles honoured in King’s Birthday list

Two more well-respected members of the Margaret River arts community were also honoured in the King’s Birthday list, with pioneering artist Leon Pericles and publisher Caroline Wood appointed as Members of the Order of Australia. Pericles told the Times he learnt of his award fresh off another career high, exhibiting a selection of his works by invitation at the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, Italy. “It’s an amazing feeling,” he said. “I’m incredibly grateful.” While King Charles III’s accolade recognised Pericles’ crucial role in the visual arts and printmaking in WA, the artist told the Times his own career highlights were less about his substantial body of work and more the connections and significance they produced. Key among those were the way his artistic career had affected his family and how he’d used his own skills to honour his wife Moira when she was in the final stages of dementia. That story — captured by Pericles’ daughter Nia in the Walkley-shortlisted Storm in a Teacup — culminated in a prized artwork auctioned for $110,000 which went to charity Alzheimer’s Australia. “It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done,” he said. Pericles also reflected on his 50-year retrospective held several years ago which showcased more than 500 pieces of work, and also fond memories from his days introducing students to the fine arts at Nedlands Teachers College. As a printmaker, Pericles bucked tradition as soon as he engaged with the craft, focusing on how to embellish his artworks and embed the history which often informed them. He told the Times he also appreciated the honours for their ability to recognise key industry figures from the past, including seminal artists and art scholars who might otherwise be overlooked. Wood has a long history with literature and support for the written arts in WA, recognised in the King’s Birthday honours. As the publisher and owner of the Margaret River Press, and with her husband John, founding WA’s Centre for Stories, Wood’s longstanding support for writers and her expertise as a publisher have seen her play numerous crucial roles in the industry. She is a former chair of the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, co-founded the Australian Short Story Festival, and was recently a key judge in The West Australian’s own Best Australian Yarn short-story competition. Wood was grateful to be included in this year’s honours list. “There have been many people who have mentored and supported me in my many pursuits,” she said. “I have had the privilege of working with some wonderful people. “This award recognises the importance of creating and serving community.” The Centre for Stories was established to be a “vibrant, inclusive literary arts and cultural organisation,” she said. “The centre uses storytelling to grow skills and confidence, inspire understanding, and promote community cohesion,” Wood said. “Our work is about more than words. We are led by and empower storytellers and writers whose experiences and perspectives may have been historically disempowered and disenfranchised.” During its 10-year reign, Margaret River Press produced Surfing Down South, about the early history of surfing in the region, and Chefs of the Margaret River Region, among other tomes, while also running an annual short story competition which included a special category for South West writers.