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A creative life in retirement

Where Lies the Truth?, a series of limited edition prints by David Bardas

WORDS: MR DAVID ASHTON

David Lawrence Bardas is a prime example of a man who keeps ‘moving on’.

Determined to help others and with an ability to overcome some of life’s biggest adversities, David Bardas (’54) has settled into a very active retirement, with projects ranging from a play on retirement and a book on regeneration, to the launch of his first exhibition at Sophie Gannon Gallery on 10 August 2011, Where Lies the Truth?, a series of limited edition prints.

While still an undergraduate law student at Melbourne University, David was thrown in at the deep end when his father died suddenly in 1959, and at 22 he joined his uncles in running the family’s Sportscraft/Sportsgirl business.

David was asked to ‘fix’ Sportsgirl, the small retail arm of the Sportscraft manufacturing group. ‘Fix’ it he did, as Sportsgirl became one of Australia’s best-known and enduring retail fashion brands. In 1980 he established the David Lawrence label (using his own name) which was added to the iconic Sportscraft/Sportsgirl brands.

After expanding the group Australia-wide, in 1994 David was forced to resign after an ill-timed expansion into developing the Sportsgirl flagship store in Collin Street. At 57, he was unemployed. Undaunted, in 1996 David became a Melbourne City Councillor (after which he wrote a book about the experience, Clown Hall). He also became president of the Gawler Foundation, and a founding member of the Life. Be in it campaign. He headed fundraising for the Royal Children’s Hospital which raised $19 million, a record at the time.

Always positive in outlook, David had been supported at all times by his beloved wife, Sandra, the daughter of respected businessman, Victor Smorgon. It was a major blow when Sandra died of cancer in 2007, after 46 years of marriage and six children. In her memory, David is currently helping to establish the Sandra Bardas Melbourne City Lighthouse for homeless youth in the city.

Today the 74-year-old says he is filled with unfinished challenges as he tackles life head-on, and continues to seek opportunities in new avenues including retail property development. He has written 43 unpublished books of poetry, and his play, Home For Lunch, recently staged at Chapel off Chapel and written in collaboration with Rebecca Lister, gave insight into life after retirement.

The Age critic described the play as ‘accessible and entertaining theatre that won’t make anyone too uncomfortable, but will make some laugh out loud with recognition’. GS

Updated: Monday 24 June 2013