The Skurulis Family Grocer

No.73 in my series of short stories.

The Skurulis Family Grocer

The Skurulis Family Grocer. One of 3 in this series. I am describing this painting that holds deep personal significance to me, capturing memories of my childhood.

I am trying to vividly capture a transformative period in Perth's history, shaped by the industrious efforts of multicultural migrant families.

Their contribution is more than just agricultural it ads significantly to the cultural and economic fabric of the region

it's a testament to resilience, entrepreneurship, and community building. They created a legacy that persists in the memories of those who grew up surrounded by their efforts and in the physical landscape they helped to shape.

My painting captures these memories and scenes from my childhood, serves as a poignant homage to this transformative era. It holds not only personal nostalgia but also a broader historical narrative of migration, adaptation, and contribution to Australian society. The vivid imagery of the grocer, the hardworking migrant families, they bought up land on the outskirts of suburban Perth, where the landscape was covered in trees and undergrowth and also teeming with wildlife, they made the land into vegetable market gardens as far as the eyes could see. They also made a significant contribution to a rich tapestry of nostalgia and history. Servicing grocery shops all over the city and suburbs before Coles and Woolies came to the for.

My approach to this painting, starting with an acrylic undercoat and building layers until achieving a sense of depth and balance, after 60years of painting this reflects a methodical yet intuitive process. This method allows my memories to unfold onto the canvas, creating a visual narrative that spans decades of my life.

It's wonderful how my art serves not just as a creative expression but as a means of preserving and sharing my personal history. Each stroke and detail contributes to a larger story, one that connects my past with the present through the medium of art.