Portland C.E.M.A. (Council for Encouragement of Music and the Arts) was formed in 1945. In 2025, as part of its 80th Birthday celebrations, a series of taped interviews from the 1980s and 1990s were digitised with the assistance of Glenelg Shire Community Grants. (Arts and Culture) The variable quality of the original recordings has meant digitisation has not been possible for all interviews. Transcripts have been provided where possible. Collin Woolcock had been C.E.M.A. President for 17 years at the time of this interview, he was instrumental to the lobbying, fundraising and achievement of an Arts Centre for Portland. He discusses the role of Keith Stirling Anderson in assisting C.E.M.A. to find a home.The series of oral history interviews (1983-1990) captured the memories of some active early members of the Portland Council for Encouragement of Music and the Arts. First hand memories of the formation of the organisation in 1945, early activities of its groups, fundraising and building of the CEMA Arts Centre provide a window into community life in Portland and District in the post WW2 era. Recent digitisation (2025) has preserved deteriorating cassette tape recordings.portland council for encouragement of music and the arts, oral history - portland c.e.m.a., portland arts centre history

CEMA Art collection. Winner of 1966 Portland art Society Art Prize for category oil. Included in the 1999 "Salvage" exhibition at CEMA Arts Centre.AbstractAbstract depiction of a person with a bunch of bananas completed in shades of red, brown and black. The focus of the work is the standing human figure with brown clothing and red skin tones. The person is looking to their right at the bunch of bananas they are holding. The work has a two tiered wooden frame and exposed canvas.Front: Von(lower left, etched into black paint) Back: Taped label:"Banana Grower" Yvonne Cohen Porter St Templestow $ 90.00 Glued label: Yvonne Cohen :Banana Grower"(1966) Yellow sticker: 1966cema, portland artists society, female artists, female, women, bannana, agriculture

Travis Webber was born in South Australia in 1900. He died in 1968. He studied at the South Australian School of Arts where he went on to teach. Webber established himself as one of the Australia's most prolific landscape artists. His work is held in several large galleries.Bluestone building with a shingle roof. In foreground right is a wooden fence. A carriageway cuts through centre of building, and above this is a window filled in with corrugated iron. The right side of building has large cracks. A tree is growing against the building in image centre, and bushes at image left and right. Framed in wooden frame.Front: Travis Webber (brown paint, lower left) Back: Geelong Picture Framers, 211 Moorabool Street, Gelong. Ph: 97805 (blue ink stamp, lower centre).oil painting, greenmount, landscape, portland landscape

Part of "Woolcock Gallery Collection". Exhibited CEMA 1989.Drawings of a cutting of plant with dark green foliage and eight white flowers. Single drawing on white background with name and signature in lower corners. The work is on white paper mounted in a double matt (grey on gold), unframed and wrapped in plastic.Front: White Correa Correa alba (lower left) (blue pencil) CEWoolcock (lower right) (brown pencil) Olearia speciosa (Netted Daisy-bush) (lower left) (pencil) Back: 23 (upper left) (pen) White Correa (Correa alba) $80. C E Woolcock (sticker, upper left)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema, botanical drawings

Part of 'Woolcock Gallery Collection' Exhibited CEMA 1989.Stem view and details of a flowering plant in colour pencil. On left a stem view depicts stem with two off shoot branches of leaves and pea flowers on a long stem. The leaves are dark green, flat, long and gradually tapered with paler central vein. Flowers are purple with white partially blended striations. On right (t-b): front view of pea flower; side view with partial stem; rear view with sepals; leaf views with rear, front and side depicted in detail; side view of whithered flower. Numbered in pencil and typed letters on white paper affixed to surface of image. Mounted in double matt (pale grey on mauve), framed under glass in wooden gold and green frame.Front: Swainson phacoides (Dwarf Swainson Pea) (lower left) (pencil). CEW (lower centre in image) (maroon pencil). Back: 71 (upper left) (pen)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema, botanical drawings

Part of 'Woolcock Gallery Collection' Exhibited CEMA 1989.Drawing of a stem and flower detail of plant with flat, elongated serrated leaves of a pale sage green, bigger at base of plant and diminishing in size as they ascend the stem. At top of stem are flower heads consisting of multiple small yellow blossoms. At lower right is a detail of one of these flowers. Work is mounted in a double matt (pale cream on faun), framed under glass in gold and green wooden frame.Front: Senecio odoratus (Scented Groundsel) (lower left) (pencil). CEW/85 (lower centre in image) (maroon pencil). Back: 38 (top left) (pen)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema, botanical drawings

Part of 'Woolcock Gallery Collection' Exhibited CEMA 1989.Two views of orchids. Large green leaf at base from which a long stem rises with leaves unfurling along its length. View on left depicts two red and white flowers unfurling; plant on right depicts three flowers. Mounted in double matt (grey on burgundy), framed under glass in wooden frame with gold detailing.Front: CEW/72 (lower left) (red pencil) Back: 77 (upper left) (pen) Lyperanthus nigricans 'Red Beak orchid' (sticky label and pen, top left)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema

Part of 'Woolcock Gallery Collection' Exhibited CEMA 1989.Colour drawings of flowering stem and detailed leaf and flower views. The largest stem view depicts thin woody stem with small fine green leaves along length of stem. Branching stems at top end in clusters of buds or small orange and yellow pea flowers. At centre left are 3 details of leaves (front, rear and end views). On right are (t-b): top view of yellow pea flower; side view (orange and yellow); rear view (orange) with sepals; sepal detail; side view in full bloom. All views are numbered in pencil and printed on white paper affixed to image surface. Mounted in double matt (white on faun), under glass in wooden frame with gold detail.Front: Pultenaea sub-umbellata (lower right) (pencil). CEW (signature, lower centre in image) (maroon pencil). Back: 37 (upper left) (pen)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema

Part of 'Woolcock Gallery Collection' Exhibited CEMA 1989.Illustration of a plant with prickly pointed leaves (holy-like) and pink flowers with thin tubular petals and yellow stamens (toothbrush-like in appearance). New leaves are at top with brown-red colouring. To mid-right of plant are two seed pods with a pink petal tube emerging from end. Mounted in double matt (faun on orange), framed under glass in gold, blue and brown wooden frame.Front: CE Woolcock (lower left) (green pencil) Back: Grevillea aquifolium (Variable Prickly Grevillea) (Sticky label, blue pen) CE Woolcock (signature)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema

Part of 'Woolcock Gallery Collection' Exhibited CEMA 1989.Two pen and ink drawings of two daisy plants. On left is stem with fine hairs, large serrated leaves with dark upper side and pale under side, clustered at base of stem, with single flat topped daisy flower at top of stem. To the right is stem view with hairy stem, rippled leaves with dark upper side and pale under side, and three stems at top with 2 daisy flowers in full bloom and one bud. Mounted in a double matt (white on grey), framed under glass in wooden frame with silver detail.Front: O. grandiflora (Mt. Loty Daisy-bush) S.A. O. tomentosa (Toothed Daisy-bush) S.A. (lower left) (pencil). CE Woolcock (signature, lower right) (pencil). Back: 31 (upper left) (pen)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema, bontanical drawing

Part of 'Woolcock Gallery Collection' Exhibited CEMA 1989.Drawing of stem and flower detaisl. At far left is back view detail of an orange flower with paler, yellow edges to petals. At centre is a stem detail, depicting a long stem with a large leaf and flowering stem partnered and situated at staggered intervals up the central stem. Flowers are yellow with red centres. On right are three details of a flower (t-b): top view of flower; side view of flower; and side view of emergent bud. Mounted in double matt (white on faun), framed under glass in wooden frame with gold details.Front: Daviesia latifolia (lower left) (pencil). CEW (lower left in image, signature) (maroon pencil). Back: 19 (upper left) (pen)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema, botanical drawings

Part of 'Woolcock Gallery Collection' Exhibition CEMA 1989.Detail of plant stem on left and on right details of pea flowers and stem views. Stem view on right is a long stem with many fine green leaves (long and thin). At top of stem is a cluster of range pea-flowers and buds. On right of page (t-b): view of pea-flower from top, showing orange petals and dark pink and magenta colouration at centre; side view of emergent bud; stem detail with leaves; side views of full bloom flower; rear view of flower. All views are numbered in both pencil and on typed paper affixed to surface of image. Mounted in double matt (white on faun) framed under glass in wooden frame with gold detail.Front: Dillwynia cinerascens (lower left) (pencil). CEW (lower left, in image) (purple pencil). Back: 41 (upper left) (pen)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema, botanical drawings

Part of 'Woolcock Gallery Collection' Exhibited CEMA 1989.Stem, flower and leaf details of flowering plant in colour pencil. On left is a stem view depicting a woody central stem with thin leaves and smaller leafed stems ending in clusters of buds or orange pea flowers. On bottom left is a side view of orange pea-flower. On right (t-b): front view of flower; side view of emergent bud; leaf detail; rear view of flower depicting petals and sepals. Mounted in double matt (white on apricot), framed under glass in gold wooden frame. All views numbered in pencil and typed letters and numbers on white paper affixed to paper surface.Front: Dillwynia hispida (lower left) (pencil). 15/?/77 (lower left) (pencil, erased). Back: 40 (top left) (pen)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema

Part of 'Woolcock Gallery Collection' Exhibited CEMA 1989.View of flowering plant with stem and flower details. On left is a view of stem with three smaller stems bearing long, thin green leaves and ending in clusters of pea flowers (apricot in colour). On right (t-b): stem detail with leaves; end view of leaf depicting curve; top view of flower; side view; rear view. All views are numbered in pencil and typed numbers on paper affixed to surface of paper. Mounted in double matt (white on apricot), framed under glass in wooden frame with gold detail.Front: CEW (signature, lower left in image) (maroon pencil). Dillwynia sericea (lower right) (pencil). Back: 39 (upper let) (pen)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema, botanical drawings

Exhibited in Malawi Arts and Craft exhibition, Portland Arts Centre, April 2006.Blue, red and green batik-dyed fabric, depicting three women carrying vases on their heads.

CEMA Art Collection Winner of 1962 Portland Artists' Society Prize for the category Painting. Included in the 1999 "Salvage" Exhibition at CEMA Arts Centre.The painting depicts several trees on a multi-coloured ground with mountains in the background. The trees in the foreground are linear and completed in shades of browns and pinks. The work has a white, gold and blue hand-painted frame with exposed canvas.Front: Werther '62 (bottom right, brown paint) Back: PORTLAND "DEAD WATTLES" 40 GNS FRANK WERTHER COTTLES BRIDGE VIC per MAYNE NICKLESS (white chalk) Red sticker: 32 Yellow sticker: 1962cema, portland artists society

CEMA Art Collection Winner of 1963 Portland Art Society Art Prize for category Watercolour. Included in the 1999 "Salvage" exhibition at CEMA Arts Centre.The painting depicts mountain ranges from an elevated position looking down across the mountains. The mountains in the foreground are predominantly shades of green, yellow and brown. The mountains in the background are various shades of blue and extend into a pale blue sky. The work has a grey painted frame with a white cardboard mount and glass.Front: E Denton (lower right, black paint) Back: ENID DENTON "FLINDERS RANGES" (1963) Watercolour (typed label) 1963 (yellow sticker)

Part of 'Woolcock Gallery Collection' Exhibited CEMA 1989.Two flowering stems. View on left depicts long stem with many large serrated leaves (blue-green) with some showing darker edges of a purple tinge. Top of stem has yellow flowers coming from long slim stems. Flowers have 8 long yellow petals each and yellow centres. View on left has fine pale green leaves (fern-like). At top of stem are floral stems, ending in buds and full flowers. Flowers are yellow, with 13 petals and darker yellow centres. Mounted in a double matt (white on faun), framed under glass in gold and green frame.Front: L. Senecio magnificus (Tall yellow-top). R. Senecio lautus (Variable Groundsel) (lower left) (pencil). CE Woolcock (lower right, signature) (pencil) CEW (lower left in image) (purple pencil). Back: 24 (upper left) (pen)collin woolcock, botanical, woolcock collection, cema, botanical drawings

CEMA Art Collection Noted that this work was sent by Caltex in exchange for the winner of the 1973 Caltex Prize, which was part of the Portland Art Society Art Prize. The exchanged work was a print by Greg Moncrieff. Included in the 1999 "Salvage" Exhibition at CEMA Arts Centre.The painting depicts the Sydney Opera House in shades of blue, brown and grey. In the foreground to the left is the brown roof of a building with four red chimneys. In front of these two buildings is an elevated road. Separating the road from the Opera House is a body of water (Sydney Harbour) completed in shades of cream and white. The shadow of the Opera House on the water's surface is completed in shades of blue and green. The work has a brown and gold frame with painted material mount and exposed canvas.Front: N. HEDSTROM (lower left, red paint) Back: (no inscriptions)sydney opera house, building, sydney harbour

Included in the 1999 "Salvage" Exhibition at CEMA Arts CentreThe painting depicts numerous leaf-less trees in the moonlight. The trees are painted in shades of brown, black and cream with the main focus on those in the centre foreground. The surrounding trees are completed in darker shades and are hazy and out of focus. The glow of the moon is depicted in white which dissipates into the dark blue/green sky. In contrast to this, a burnt orange is used as the background for the trees. The work has a gold and black frame with no mount or glass.Front: 67 PRO HART (black and gold paint, lower corners) Back: PRO HART "UN-NAMED" (1967) Donated by the Artist (typed label) White Sticker: 2 (in a circle)