Biography
Born in Newcastle, New South Wales in 1928. Painter, printmaker, draughtsman, writer.
Studied at National Art School under Passmore 1948-53, and at the Orban School.
Exhibited in Sydney with Klipple, W.Rose, E. Smith and Passmore in the seminal 1956 exhibition Direction 1. Praise by Haefliger led to private sponsorship to study in London and Paris 1957-1960.
In the 1950s and 1960s he was among leading Abstract Expressionists, his work becoming increasingly free and spontaneous, particularly after return from Europe.
A sojourn in Spain and Portugal 1964-67 involved a commission to produce designs for tapestries in Sydney. A further major commission was for a mural Salute to Five Bells (1973), for Sydney Opera House.
He traveled widely throughout the Australian outback 1974-76, and his work became increasingly figurative and attuned to the natural environment. Likened to child art for their exuberance and quasi-innocent vision, his pictures are crowded with personal symbols, some more explicit than others, sometimes resembling maps or aerial views though lacking conventional perspective. His watercolours and prints exploit the white paper fully in often bravura use of various techniques. Has won many awards including the 1969 and 1985 Wynne Prize, 1989 Sulman Prize, 2005 Archibald Prize. He was a trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW for 1978. Order of the British Empire 1977.
His work is held in many public, private, corporate and university collections both within Australia and internationally. Including: Art Collections of the Victorian Arts Centre (Westpac Gallery) Melbourne, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of SA, Art Gallery of Western Australia.
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