Historical information

Kew Tapestry. The eight panels depict the history of Kew. This was a 1988 Australian Bi-Centennial Project carried out under the auspices of City of Kew Council and the Kew Historical Society Incorporated. Nearly 600 citizens including many children participated in the production by adding a few or more stitches. A book records their names and the panels upon which they worked.
Artist: Joy Stewart
Co-ordinator: Dorothy Benyei

Significance

Sydney Joy (Joy) Stewart was born in Melbourne 1925. She studied at Swinburne Technical College Art School from 1941-1945, then the National Gallery Art School 1946-1948. Her career included employment positions as a display artist, designer/painter, gallery assistant, and art teacher. Joy relocated to Cairns in 1981. Solo exhibitions in Melbourne and Cairns, including 'Done By Me' at Cairns Regional Gallery in 1999. Group exhibitions at Cairns Regional Gallery, 'The Fish John West Regrets, 1993' and 'Facets of Life' 1994. Joy Stewart died in Cairns in 2018.

Physical description

1. Survey Team. A Handcoloured cartoon created by the artist Joy Stewart as a template for the first of a series of embroidered panels depicting the history of Kew. Wool colour codes at left.

Inscriptions & markings

Inscription: "8th February 1803. SURVEY. Grimes, Flemming (sic), Robbins and McCallum explored the river (Yarra) to the falls (Dights), sighting several friendly aborigines, and were the first Europeans to set foot in the area now known as Kew". Signed by the artist "(c) JStewart, 1988"