Frank Harrison b. 1941

Also known as Uncle Sono, Sunno
  • Artist ,
  • Artist (Draughtsman),
  • Artist (Painter)
Taught artefact making by Elders on Lake Tyers Mission, canoe maker, artefact maker, painter and drawer who lives and works in Lakes Entrance, Victoria. He is associated with the East Gippsland Aboriginal Arts Corporation situated in Bairnsdale, Victoria.
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Frank Harrison, known as Uncle Sono, was born in 1941 the son of Mary Harrison (Andy) and Richard (Dick) Harrison. Uncle Sono has links through his maternal grandmother to the Wurundjeri people. He spent his childhood along the waters of Lake Tyers, Metung, Lake Bunga and Lakes Entrance.

In adulthood, Uncle Sono worked in the mills at Cann River as a linesman for the shire and did seasonal picking where able. He worked at the Naval base in Sale and can be considered a 'Jack (or Sono) of all trades’.

Uncle Sono came to drawing and painting later in life, having made boomerangs, shields, spears, carved snakes and walking sticks for decades prior. He learnt his skills from observing the 'old people’ such as Waddy Pepper, Laurie Moffatt and Foster Mullett at the Lake Tyers Mission. Uncle Sono states that he enjoys teaching his grandchildren the skills of artefact making.

In 1972 Uncle Sono worked with his brother-in-law Peter Gordon to make a bark canoe commissioned by Bulls Ship Yard. The canoe ended up at Nagle College in Bairnsdale before eventually being returned to Uncle Sono at Lakes Entrance. The canoe was a feature in the Common Ground Festival of 2007 and was later installed at the venue used by the Lakes Entrance Aboriginal arts grou

Writers:
East Gippsland Aboriginal Arts Corporation
Date written:
2008
Last updated:
2009

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