Page 121 - Demo

119The 1970s marked a golden age for Australian stamp design. Australia Post had established an advisory committee led by prominent graphic designer Arthur Leydin, who enlisted talents such as Gordon Andrews, Brian Sadgrove and Vivienne Binns. The standard of postage stamps released during this period was exceptional.One of the most important and iconic series released was the Famous Australian Women series, designed by illustrator and graphic designer Jackie O%u2019Brien and her husband Des. Under her maiden name, Horrex, Jackie was one of the most successful fashion illustrators of the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s, with her work appearing in all the major magazines and newspapers of the time.The Famous Australian Women series, released in 1975 to celebrate International Women%u2019s Year, featured portraits of six prominent subjects chosen by Elizabeth Reid, then Adviser to the Prime Minister on Women. These six women were Edith Cowan, the first woman to be elected to parliament; writer Louisa Lawson; Constance Stone, Australia%u2019s first female doctor; writer Ethel Richardson, who wrote under the pseudonym Henry Handel Richardson; and writer, social worker and women%u2019s rights campaigner Catherine Spence. Truganini, a Nuenonne woman and the first Aboriginal woman to be featured on a postage stamp, was also honoured in this series.The content and striking design brought Jackie and Des international attention. At the time, Australian stamps were so well designed that whenever actor Barry Humphries sent letters from Australia, he drew an arrow on the envelope pointing to the stamp with a note highlighting its magnificence.YEAR 1975DESIGNERS Jackie and Des O%u2019BrienMANUFACTURER Australia Post%u008ffflffi%u000f%u000e%u0013%u0012flfflffi%u000f%u0019%u0009%u0017%u0013fl%u0018%u0013%u000fflffi%u0006fl%u0018%u000f%u0019%u0011%u0018fl%u0006%u0012ffi%u0011fl%u000f%u000e%u0013fl%u000c%u009a%u0018fl%u001a%u0019%u0018fl%u0019fl%u0018%u0013%u0012ff%u0013%u0018fl%u0009%u0010fl%u0019%u0012%u000fff%u0018%u000ffl%u008f%u0017%u0013%u0091fl%u0082%u000fff%u000f%u000ffl%u00a4ffi%u0006fl%u0086%u0089ff%u0006%u0013%u008dfl%u0083%u0013flfffflflff%u000f%u008d%u0090fl%u0006%u0019%u0011%u0013%u00a5fl%u000fffifl%u0011%u0019%u0012%u00a0fl%u000f%u000e%u0013fl%u0007%u000e%u0019ffl%u0015%u0013fl%u0006%u0012ffi%u0011flff%u0011%u0013%u0012ff%u0019%u0017fl%u000fffifl%u0011%u0013%u000f%u0012ff%u0007fl%u0011%u0013%u0019%u0018%u0008%u0012%u0013%u0011%u0013ffl%u000f%u0018fl%u00a4%u000c%u009a%u00a1%u00a5%u008dfl%u008a%u0019%u0015%u0013%u0012fl%u000fffifl%u0009%u0012%u0013%u0019%u000f%u000e%u0013fl%u0018ffi%u0011%u0013fl%u0017ff%u0006%u0013flffffl%u000fffifl%u000f%u000e%u0013fl%u0012%u0019%u000f%u000e%u0013%u0012fl%u0009%u0017%u0019fflfl%u0007ffiffl%u0007%u0013%u000fflffi%u0006fl%u0013%u0007ff%u0011%u0019%u0017fl%u0007ffiffl%u0016%u0013%u0012%u0018ffffiffl%u0004fl%u0082%u000fff%u000f%u000ffl%u0007%u0012%u0013%u0019%u000f%u0013fl%u0019fl%u0018%u0013%u0012ff%u0013%u0018flffi%u0006flffffl%u00a0%u0004fl%u0009%u0017ffi%u0009%u0009%u0010fl%u0007%u0019%u0012%u000fffiffifflfl%u0007%u000e%u0019%u0012%u0019%u0007%u000f%u0013%u0012%u0018flfffflfl%u000f%u000e%u0013ff%u0012fl%u0008ffl%u0013%u0012%u0019ffl%u000f%u0018%u008dfl%u0082%u000f%u0012%u0019ffl%u0015%u0013%u0017%u0010%u0004fl%u000f%u000e%u0013fl%u0018%u000f%u0019%u0011%u0018fl%u0015%u0013ffl%u0013%u0012%u0019%u000f%u0013fl%u0019fl%u0009ff%u000fflffi%u0006fl%u0011%u0013ff%u0019fl%u0006%u0008%u0012ffi%u0012%u0013%u0004fl%u0009%u0008%u000ffl%u000f%u000e%u0013%u0010fl%u001a%u0013%u0012%u0013fl%u0017ffi%u0016%u0013fl%u0009%u0010fl%u000f%u000e%u0013fl%u0015%u0013ffl%u0013%u0012%u0019%u0017fl%u0008%u0009%u0017ff%u0007%u008dThe standard of postage stamps released during this period was exceptional.