Frank was born into a Dutch family. Frank spent much time with his dad who immersed him in design projects for family use around their one acre property in Maida Vale from an early age. With English as a second language, having dyslexia and being colour blind, Frank struggled at primary school so when his teen years were upon him, he took up subjects that reflected his growing interest in design, construction using wood, sketching and his love for the outdoors. His parents steered him in the direction of TAFE studies and he completed an apprenticeship in Carpentry in 1975, winning the Apprentice of the Year. He entered woodworking competitions that saw him win prizes internationally for his pieces of furniture. He later added clock and harp making to his portfolio. Besides working as a supervisor in construction.
Frank taught carpentry at TAFE and after further studies in design and construction management, he went on to oversee the training of local people in the art of community construction in the remote communities of the Cocos Keeling and Christmas Island. Frank was noted for his patience, compassion and gentle nature together with his very high level of skill and knowledge. Frank took on personal studies in architectural design, looking mostly at nature for inspiration. As Frank loved to serve and support people, he would take on wood working projects to help them in some way. Together with his three children, who were homeschooled, Frank would spend time with them exploring the outdoors, helping them notice changes in the world around and sharing his interest in construction using wood!
Frank was known for rising early, especially on holidays and he would take a sketch book with him and draw his surroundings.
When Frank was in his mid 50’s, Young Onset of Dementia began to set in along with primary progressive aphasia. He persisted through the changes that were happening within him but eventually in his late 50s, he resigned from his design and construction senior management position and returned to working with his tools and designs.
In his early 60’s however, further challenges were occurring for Frank and his ability to know and use tools began to fade though his eye for noticing things and changes around him were still very sharp. He began volunteering with a support worker at the local men’s shed to keep up the remaining tool skill set that he had. With his strong eye for detail remaining, Frank still pursues sketching and thanks to his very skilled and highly talented mentor and tutor Kathryn Smith, Frank has also now taken up painting, printing and design using textiles. Frank is ambidextrous and for him it means that he can continue with his art works using his left hand as slowly he is losing the ability to use his right arm through the spread of the Dementia.
Kathryn Smith | Creative Arts Facilitator | Mind the Change
“Frank is a thoughtful and careful painter. He is a beautiful sketcher and draws and shades carefully. Frank stitches beautiful embroidery, working on his eco-dyed pieces. Generously, Frank shares his art sessions on the holidays with his beautiful grandsons, finding art to be another way of communicating and sharing with them.”
“Frank is a thoughtful and careful painter. He is a beautiful sketcher and draws and shades carefully. Frank stitches beautiful embroidery, working on his eco-dyed pieces. Generously, Frank shares his art sessions on the holidays with his beautiful grandsons, finding art to be another way of communicating and sharing with them.”
