Anecdotes from the Archives

Wood carvings at St Mary's College

Recently, I came across an old newspaper clipping telling the story of a statue of Mary that lives in the College. It is accompanied by a photo of the sculpture and its creator.

The article, pictured below, reads as follows:

Three hundred and forty hours of carving went into the latest artistic addition to the Catholic heritage of St Mary’s College.

The statue of the Virgin Mary was crafted from a solid block of Huon Pine by Mr John Gunn, a well-known Tasmanian sculptor. Mr Gunn said the statue was “a labour of love”.

Mr Gunn donated the 65cm-high statue to the refurbished art block of the College, named after Sister Betty Bowes, a former headmistress of the school.

Mr Gunn (1916–2006) of the well-known Tasmanian timber merchant family was a resident of Launceston and Low Head. This fine carving, with the patina which time bestows on Huon Pine, now lives quietly in the front office.

In the College, there are also several wooden statues of Mary carved by liturgical sculptor Alan Gelston (1929–1964), teacher, artist and sculptor, who was born in Westbury and educated in Launceston. He is also responsible for carving the magnificent coat of arms above Parliament House (c1960). 

Archbishop Guilford Young commissioned Mr Gelston to carve a Huon Pine crucifix for the Cathedral in 1961. This now stands between the sacristy and the Catholic Centre. Mr Gelston was also responsible for liturgical carvings interstate as well as in Tasmania.

It is not certain who or how the Gelston Mary statues were commissioned, but it is known that he used his little three-year old daughter as a model for Mary. His statue is not a classic Mary carving; the figure stands with her hands outstretched, as shown in the photo. This statue now stands in the Adrian Doyle Chapel, in the heart of the College. After completing this original carving, Mr Gelston later on also produced a series of similar miniature ones.