Warrandyte Australia's Art Heritage Information and History
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Impressionists, traditionalists, realists: Since the 1880's in Australia, Warrandyte has been attracting artists who came to paint the scenic beauty of the bushland and river. Below is information on well-known artists living or working here since European settlement. Thanks to the Warrandyte Historical Society for providing this information.
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Clara Southern 1860-1940
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Clara Southern, a colonial born member of the Heidelberg School was one of the first to establish her home here. (see here painting of her house here). Her neighbour, living at ‘Kipsy’ was fellow artist, ‘Jo’ Sweatman. Sadly, Clara's home ‘Blythe Bank’ has since been destroyed by bushfire.
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Jo Sweatman 1872-1956
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Jo studied under Fred McCubbin. Her works are represented in the National Gallery of Victoria and many private collections. She was a great conservationist and she painted extensively in the Warrandyte district and built her own cottage in 1910, next to Clara's.
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Penleigh Boyd 1890 (England) - 1923
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One of the sons of Arthur Merric Boyd 1, he was a painter and etcher and known for his drypoints of tree subjects and the paintings of the bush, wattles and the Yarra. He studied and exhibited here and in Europe and is widely represented in all Australian state and regional galleries and the national collection. Boyd emulated the style and subjects of a most famous Australian artist, Arthur Streeton. Like Streeton's, Boyd's paintings were romantic and beautiful landscapes but producing depth of feeling in the detail of the natural scenery.
He built the very first reinforced concrete house in Victoria, still standing on its site on Kangaroo Ground Road in North Warrandyte. 'The Robins' is classified by the National Trust.
Penleigh Boyd was sadly killed in a motor accident in 1923, having earlier served and invalided in WW1. He was survived by his wife and two sons Pat and Robin (who became a distinguished architect and writer).
A beautiful example of his work is 'The Old Bridge, Warrandyte 1914' oil on canvas, National Gallery of Australia Canberra.
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Frank Crozier 1883 Maryborough - 1948 Warrandyte
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Frank was an oil and watercolour painter and illustrator who won the National Gallery School student prize in landscaping in 1907. By 1923-24 he had studied and worked in London and America. In WW1 he was a war records artist and many of his works from this era can be seen at the Australian War Museum in Canberra and the National Gallery of Victoria. He exhibited extensively in Australia and at the Royal Academy London. 'The Beach at ANZAC 1919', an important historical record in oil on canvas - is in the Australian War Memorial Art Collection.
He lived in Tills Drive Warrandyte and his house was later owned and occupied by landscape artist Wally Manders. The house, since altered, still stands and is now owned by his son, Joff a potter and illustrator, and his artist wifeCherry Manders
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Danila Vassilieff 1897-1958
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Danila Vassilieff, a very important Russian painter strongly influenced a number of young Australian artists, including Albert Tucker, with his raw expressive images of urban Australian life and his colourful character. He was a pioneer in Expressionist painting in Australia: his work was described as primitive emotional.
He came to Warrandyte first in 1937, after spending two years in Sydney where he exhibited. He built his home Stonygrad, in Hamilton Road North Warrandyte in 1944 using local logs and stone from nearby hills.
In 1951 he began carving in stone using Lilydale rock; no other sculptor had been able to manage this. His carvings in this medium are highly treasured today. His work can be found in most Australian public state galleries and in many private collections.
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Adrian Lawlor 1890 England - 1969 St Kilda Vic
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Adrian was a painter influenced by Cezanne. During the 1930's, he was a leader in modern art known for his opposition to the establishment of an Academy of Art. He was a writer, lecturer, broadcaster and art critic as well as a painter.
Two years after returning from WW1 Adrian and his wife settled in Warrandyte on Research Road, where they stayed for 35 years. In 1939 his home and 200 of his paintings were destroyed by the devastating bushfires that swept through the region but he subsequently rebuilt at the same address. A year prior to the fires he had painted 'The Artists House 1938' and in 1940 a self portrait, which are at the Heide Museum and Art Gallery.
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Earnest Buckmaster 1897 Victoria - 1971
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Earnest was a prolific traditional landscape artist whose works were very popular. In the early 1920's he studied at the Melbourne National Gallery School and later won the Archibald, in 1932. A large collection of his beautiful work hangs in the foyer of the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne and his works are also represented in all State and Regional Galleries in Australia and New Zealand.
He lived in Castle Road Warrandyte.
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Harry Hudson 1907- 1974
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Harry was a painter, teacher, author and gallery owner. He began studies at the Penleigh Boyd Studios in Warrandyte at 17 years and studied at the Melbourne National Gallery School in the 1930's. He lived in India for some years where he made his living as a commercial artist before returning home.
He made a major contribution to the community in several ways: as a foundation member of the Warrandyte Arts Association (which began in 1956), a writer for publications including Walkabout, the Australasian Post, and author of Flynn's Flying Doctor. He opened a fine art gallery in his home 'Kuta Mahal' in 1969 and he taught at several local schools including Ringwood High, Boronia and Pembrook, until his death.
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Wally Manders
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Wally Manders painted many landscapes in the Warrandyte area. He commenced his studies in landscape painting under Frank Crozier in about 1925 at 16 years of age. He would ride on horseback from Pascoe Vale daily for his lessons. He came to live in Warrandyte in the 1950's.
Wally was a foundation member of the Holly Group of Artists, exhibiting first at the Holly Tea Rooms in Collins Street Melbourne (an area now taken by public gardens).
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