Pugh was one of many artists who brought an Australian experience to attention. His landscapes reveal the colour and textures of the natural bush, often with a dramatic emphasis. His reference to the harshness of the bush consistently arises, with angular forms dominating the composition. White Choughs in the Landscape is typical of his representations of the bush as a dynamic environment. White Choughs in the Landscape, 1958, created by Clifton Pugh - a celebrated Australian artist known for his landscapes and portraiture as well as (three-time) winner of Australia’s Archibald Prize. This piece plays a significant role within the Nillumbik Shire Collection due to Pugh’s strong connection to the local land where he settled in Cottle’s Bridge in 1951, purchasing 15 acres and named it Dunmoochin. Artists, potters and others settled at Dunmoochin and formed the Dunmoochin Artists Co-operative in order to collectively protect the land. Numerous renowned artists worked or resided at Dunmoochin including: Rick Amor, Fred Williams, Albert Tucker, Frank Hodgkinson, Mirka Mora, John Olsen, John Percival and John Howley amongst others. Upon his death in 1990 he left an art collection and extensive properties at Dunmoochin to be appreciated and utilised by artists for years to come White Choughs in the Landscape is typical of Pughs' representations of the bush as a dynamic environment. The brittleness and fragility of the landscape is recorded in the surface of the work, where paint is applied in thin layers.Signed 'Clifton Sept. 1958'clifton pugh, dunmoochin, white choughs

Painting of a woman with short red hair seated by a window and wearing a white nightgown. Inscribed (Ll) 'Judith, 3/68 South Audley St, London W1 and signed 'Clifton Jan 75'.clifton pugh, judith, london, portrait, painting

Painting depicting a female nude with blonde curly hair standing in a dam with lily pads and owl. Noneclifton pugh, painting, portrait, prue acton, dunmoochin, owl

Portrait of a woman with blonde hair and hands clasped wearing a red dress against a red background.Inscribed (Ll) 'Helen, with a fugitive smile'.clifton pugh, painting, helen, dunmoochin

Portrait of a woman with red hair, wearing a blue striped dress seated in a wingback chair in front of a window and Christmas tree. Signed (Lr) 'Clifton', inscribed (Lr) 'Adriane, 28 Palace Gardens Terrace, London W8' and dated 'Dec '83'.clifton pugh, painting, adriane, london, portrait, dunmoochin

Seated female nude with blonde hair in landscape with male nude and owl. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton '85'clifton pugh, painting, female nude, dunmoochin, owl, male nude

Portrait of a female nude with dark hair playing a tin whistle and seated upon a chair with an orange and brown blanket. Signed and dated (L.l) 'Clifton Jan '81'. On reverse in chalk 'Adriane '81'. On reverse: Label with number 31 and listing title, date, medium, size and price.clifton pugh, painting, portrait, adriane, tin whistle, dunmoochin

Portrait of an old man wearing glasses and striped robe in front of a paint palette and surrounded by collaged newspaper cuttings. Signed (l.l) 'Clifton '85'. Inscribed on reverse: 'Self Portrait Clifton Pugh'clifton pugh, painting, self portrait, dunmoochin

Female nude torso reclining in bath water with various bottles, orange wash cloth, chequered floor and chair legs. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton '84'clifton pugh, painting, adriane, venice, bathing, dunmoochin

Portrait of a semi-nude woman with black hair, black skirt and black and white robe against a yellow background. Signed mid-left 'Angela' and (L.r) 'Clifton '80'clifton pugh, painting, portrait, angela, female nude, dunmoochin

Portrait of a seated old man wearing a blue suit and black tie with hands clasped. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton '87'. Inscribed on reverse: (centre) Archibald Prize '87/Mr. Russ Hinze/ By Clifton Pugh/Box 177 Hurstbridge 3099 / Tel 714 8230clifton pugh, painting, portrait, russ hinze, dunmoochin

Portrait of a female nude with dark hair lying on a bed of lavender and yellow cushions. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton 3.3.90'.clifton pugh, painting, female nude, portrait, zsuzsi

Portrait of a woman with red hair standing in front of a draped window. Dated (L.r) 'Nov '74 Jan '75'.clifton pugh, painting, portrait, mim karlin

Painting of a wooden building with brick fireplace and wagon in the landscape. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton Jan 52'clifton pugh, painting, landscape, dunmoochin

Painting of two pink fish lying head to tail on a tan background. Dated in pen (L.r) '27.5.88'clifton pugh, painting, pinkfish

Portrait of an old man in three quarter view seated in a black chair with hands clasped. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton '68'.clifton pugh, painting, portrait

Painting depicting a reclining female nude and two blackboy plants with emu against an orange background. Inscribed (L.l) 'AP VIII/VIII Leda and the Swan' and signed (L.r) 'Clifton 80'.clifton pugh, screenprint, leda and the emu, female nude, landscape

Painting depicting an old man with pipe painting in the landscape. Signed (L.r) 'Howley 79'. On reverse: Label (L.r) '37 Out painting with Clif Pugh by John Howley'. john howley, painting, portrait, clifton pugh, landscape, dunmoochin

Drawing of a female nude on brown paper. Inscribed (L.r) 'Drawn by Fred Williams. During a drawing session at Dunmoochin with John Olsen and myself in 1970, Clifton Pugh'. On reverse inscribed ' The model by Judith Laycock'.fred williams, drawing, female nude, dunmoochin

Ink and wash drawing of a chicken's head. Signed (L.l) 'Clifton' and dated (L.r) '1954'.cllifton pugh, drawing, ink wash, chicken, dunmoochin

Pastel drawing depicting an abstract composition of female torsos on brown paper. Signed (L.l) 'Clifton 75'. clifton pugh, drawing, pastel, torso, female nude

Gouache painting of a reclining female nude in landscape with banksias.Dated (L.r) '11.8.76'clifton pugh, painting, gouache, female nude, banksias, landscape

Pastel drawing depicting an abstract composition of female torsos on brown paper. Signed Lower centre 'Clifton 76'.clifton pugh, drawing, pastel, female nude, torso, abstract

Painting depicting a landscape with windmill and water tank on particle board. Signed (L.r) 'William Frater' and on reverse in pencil (U.c) '1477 Frater'. william frater, painting, landscape, windmill, water tank

Gouache painting depicting a male torso with striped pajamas, hand with needle and table with glass of water. Signed (L.l) 'Clifton 7/10/77'.clifton pugh, painting, gouache, hospital, needle

Gouache painting depicting a male arm with intravenous drip and hospital table. Dated (L.l) '10.10.1977'.clifton pugh, painting, gouache, hospital, drip, hand

Gouache painting depicting a pair of female hands injecting a needle into a male arm and table with red and white flowers. Dated (L.r) '8.10.77'clifton pugh, painting, gouache, hospital, arm, needle, flower

Portrait of a woman with dark hair wearing a white dress and holding a posy of red flowers against a purple background. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton 31.10.81'.clifton pugh, painting, portrait, adriane, flower

Collage, gouache and pastel drawing depicting an abstract composition of the female nude. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton 23.6.1977'.clifton pugh, drawing, mixed media, abstract, female nude

Screenprint depicting a landscape with three trees and turquoise foliage and owl in flight. Signed (L.l) 'Clifton'clifton pugh, screenprint, landscape, owl