826 Broadway Sydney

The building at 826 Broadway Sydney came into being back in 1892 when the board of the Bank of NSW (Westpac since 1982) decided to build a new branch at Railway Square, Sydney. Architect Varney Parkes was commissioned to design the building and banking commenced in 1894. Because of its proximity to Railway Square, the bank transferred its Gold Smelting and Assaying Department to 826 where it operated until 1926. And although the department was disbanded, gold smelting and assaying continued at the branch until 1960 with an independent firm leasing premises from the Bank.
Bank of NSW/Westpac maintained its Railway Square Branch until April, 2000. That same year the building was purchased by a non profit organisation and Embassy Conference Centre was born. Today it is rented for meetings, conferences, workshops, concerts, and special family events.

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I was born a very long time ago in Shanghai China to Russian parents. In 1954 we sailed into Sydney Harbour as stateless refugees. The date was 18th February 1954, which coincided with the departure of Queen Elizabeth II, who was sailing to Tasmania. It was a beautiful day and the Harbour was festive - my near 9-year old self, assumed it was welcoming us and right there and then I fell in love with Sydney. It was my home until 2005 when I decided to retire from my career as a software developer, and move somewhere more tranquil. Blue Mountains beckoned - I already liked the area and it was close enough to Sydney that I thought my children might still be persuaded to visit. I no longer like living in the Mountains, I love it!

I'd always loved drawing so on moving up here that's what I started doing. Numerous workshops, community college courses, and also completed a six month full time art certificate at Nepean TAFE, which was a fabulous experience. Inspiring teachers, well equipped studios, and totally absorbing.

In the time from 2005 to now, I've tried just about everything, spent three and a half years of doing portraits, which I loved doing, picked up a few commissions but it's a very narrow field and doesn't sell well at exhibitions. Lots of beautiful landscapes here, but I'm still a city girl at heart and love architecture, interesting buildings, old buildings, streetscapes so that's where I've landed for the moment.