1940-1950’s
Sylvia met and fell in love with Stazek (Stanislav, Stacha, Stan) Halpern. They married and had a child, Jaqueline (Jaki) in 1946.
They borrowed money from Sylvia’s sister to buy a house in Surf Avenue, Black Rock (Beaumaris).
Silvia had been attending RMIT learning about pottery.
She came home and then taught Stazek everything she had learnt at school every day.
Stazek was a painter, sculptor and potter.
They were part of the Boyd group.
My mother would tell me how she and Stazek would put their push-bikes on the train to Ringwood and cycle out to Warrandyte where they would camp in an old canvas tent they had.
They met Danila Vasillieff, Klytie Pate, and the other artists living there.
My father – Artek(Artur, Art) Halpern – was a Polish Jew. He was born in Lvov (as was Stazek). Lvov is sometimes in Poland and sometimes in Russia. There were 4 brothers in the Halpern family.
In Lvov the family had a silver plating business. Their factory was an impressive 3 story building.
Artek went to university in Czechoslovakia where he obtained a degree in mechanical engineering.
When the Nazis came into Poland the 4 brothers left for safer countries.
Artek went into the army. His father had already died and his mother did not want to leave. She committed suicide by taking a cyanide capsule.
Artek came to Australia after the war. His 3 brothers were already here.