Mr Peter Breen
Radiographer / Artist / Musician
Peter Breen (Class of 1968) currently is the director of Jugglers Art Space Inc. and curator of The Stairwell Project. Both projects aim to enhance the lives of people in our community.
Prior to his becoming heavily involved in the arts, Peter attended QUT to train as a radiographer and later studied a Bachelor of Theology in addition to an MA in Arts Therapy. In 1998, along with two of his sons, Breen launched a community artists collective, Jugglers Art Space Inc., which was based in Fortitude Valley from 2002-2018.
Peter was also a Protestant Pastor from 1985 to 2002 and for those who knew him at BSHS he says this is probably no surprise as he did a stint in Cambodia from 1974 to 1975 as a radiographer, training and setting up a small practice during the Cambodia/Vietnam conflict with World Vision. Peter's passion for the arts, music, building community, social justice and spirituality were always his core values.
Peter has some special and amusing memories from State High, such as Dorothy McCorkell and her call to the girls to kneel on chairs to check skirt lengths and her commitment to eat alone due to the religious cult she was in. The time George Lockie expelled all the boys in 1968 for disobeying his directive around the banned Revolution Day. Paul 'Porky' Morgan winning the 800m at GPS Athletics in 1964 and the sound of scraping of the chairs on the lino floors when the bell went for the end of a class. Sitting senior exams when two years work was crowded into three hours of remembering and seeing the Big LL's chalk graffiti on the bridge he walked on across the river back to catch the tram in town . (Big LL's were a symbol for Latin teacher, Mr Jones, who apparently with his thick glasses, looked like the famous Biggles character in the book of the same name).
He recalls memorable teachers Mr Cyril Connell, Mr Keith Drinkall, Mr Ian McInlay, Mr "Pud" Heenan and Mr "Spike" Porter, who all affected and inspired him and from time to time, evoked gratitude and humorous reflection. What continues to inspire him now are "the young people around the world who passionately work to reverse the horrors of climate change, those people around the world who work to bring justice to bear on racism and sexism and the rich arts/music world I am immersed in. There are also those who guide my continual spiritual hunger. Most of all my wife, children and grandchildren are a constant source of inspiration, trouble and growth!"
These days, Peter's goals are to stay fit and healthy and produce a body of art work that is exhibition ready each year for the next 10 years. He always strives to "learn to listen to and for the sound of nothing in stillness".
Peter offers some advice to current students:
