Barry Dickins

Barry Dickins is that rare breed of creator – an author, poet, storyteller, journalist and playwright.

With a range of adult and children's titles to his credit, Barry is probably best known from his biography of artist Brett Whitely called Black and Whitely, his play based on the hanging of Ronald Ryan called Remember Ronald Ryan and his children's book My Grandmother: Wit Warmth and Laughter – A True Story.

In his book Guts and Pity - the Hanging that Ended Capital Punishment in Victoria (1996), Barry powerfully evokes Ryan the man, the drama of his story and the historical background to the execution. This provides a wonderful basis for discussion on capital punishment with adults and senior students.

With younger students, Barry enjoys working on all aspects of language, running writing and poetry workshops for children of all ages. He shows the power of expression that can come from the right choice of words and format – poetry versus proses; literary language versus the vernacular.

Barry is the consummate wordsmith who has the tools of trade to share and instruct students from Prep through to adult.