David STRACHAN (1919–1970) Born 25 June 1919 at Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Arrived 1920 Adelaide, Australia: 1921 Creswick, Victoria David Strachan attended Creswick State School and Geelong Church of England Grammar school. By the age of 16 he wanted to be an artist. Accompanying his mother to London in 1936, he enrolled at the Slade School of Fine Art, where he met Godfrey Miller. In 1937 he attended the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, Paris, and painted at Cassis on the Mediterranean Sea. He returned to Australia in April 1938 and studied at the George Bell School, Melbourne. He had a growing interest in classicism blended with a fascination for the dream-state which was reinforced in his work after he moved to Sydney in 1941. There he was befriended by Jean Bellette and her husband Paul Haefliger, who were to be driving forces behind the Sydney Art Group (founded 1945). He lived on the top floor of the Haefligers' house at Double Bay, and together the three artists drew from models whom the Haefligers hired. In this period Strachan painted and exhibited some of his most poetic works—mainly figurative and landscape subjects, and still-lifes of haunting beauty. His flowers, bowls of fruit, birds, and angelic figures glimmered out of the darkness as things not of this world, evoked faintly, like mythological personages in a gently spoken narrative. He 'spent an erratic war' painting camouflage at Bankstown aerodrome with other artists, among them (Sir) William Dobell, and dancing minor roles with Hélène Kirsova's ballet company. In 1948 Strachan settled in Paris. His paintings, included by Peter Bellew in an exhibition at the Musée National d'Art Moderne, had been well-received by French critics two years earlier. In 1950 he began tentative experiments in etching. These led to the formation of the Stramur-Presse, a business venture which published etchings and lithographs of leading French and English artists. His most important project was a series of twenty-two colour etchings illustrating Alister Kershaw's book of poems, Accent & Hazard (Paris, 1951). Strachan continued to exhibit in Australia and maintained a lively social life with Australian friends. From Paris, he went for weekend painting trips with Moya Dyring in her car and, after 1957, visited the Haefligers on Majorca. He lived in London in 1955-57. His paintings became progressively less soft in effect, his palette brightened, and his forms, especially the still-lifes, became spikier. In the late 1950s his attention drifted towards the study of Hindu philosophers and Jungian psychology. For most of 1957-58 he was enrolled at the C. G. Jung-Institut, Zürich, Switzerland. In 1959 he worked in Silvio Daneo's silkworm factory at Bricherasio, Italy. In May 1960 Strachan returned to Sydney. He lived at Woolloomooloo before buying a house at Paddington in 1963. Over the ensuing years he involved himself energetically with the art scene, exhibiting, teaching (1960-65) at East Sydney Technical College, fund-raising for memorials for Thea Proctor and Dyring, and as the last president (1965) of the Society of Artists. His paintings were out of harmony with the prevailing fashion for abstraction, but he won the Wynne prize for landscape painting in 1961 and 1964 (shared). Perhaps the most moving works of Strachan's last ten years were the mining landscapes, including those he painted near Hill End, leading up to his vast canvas, 'Lewers Freehold Mine'. This was a history picture, depicting the mine as it might have appeared in 1874. He presented it to the Creswick Historical Museum in 1970 in memory of his father. (Barry Pearce, 'Strachan, David Edgar (1919–1970)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/strachan-david-edgar-11786/text21083, published first in hardcopy 2002, accessed online 6 January 2016.) This item is part of the Federation University Art Collection. The Art Collection features over 1000 works and was listed as a 'Ballarat Treasure' in 2007.Framed still lifefeaturing fruit and flowers.art, artwork, strachan, david strachan, still life, flowers, flora, available

Paddy Fordham Wainburranga (1932-2006) Area: Arnhem Land Country: Bamdibu (Bumdubu) near Bulman Station As a child, Paddy grew up in Maningrida an Aboriginal community on the top end of the Northern Territory. He started working as a boy around cattle yards, which finally led him to working as a stockman for 20 years. Before this, he spent much of his time hunting and learning culture and customs from his father and uncles. He could remember being taken to a sacred location where he was told many Dreamtime stories of how customs came to be and why Aboriginal people practice them. Paddy was part of the movement for equal rights for all Aborigines, actively involved in claiming Bumdibu as his traditional land for his clan. He resided over this land as Jungai (caretaker, policeman). Paddy was taught to paint by his father but did not begin to paint seriously until the early 1970s. He was also recognized as a story teller, bark painter, sculpture, dancer, singer and musician. He was familiar with Central Arnhem Land rock and bark painting traditions; however he developed an idiosyncratic style which fused the figurative schema of western Arnhem Land with the narrative capacities of the north-east producing dense pictorial paintings divided into sequential segments. A suite of seven limited edition prints using the sugar lift aquatint technique. .1) Yalk Yalk Woman Sugar Lift Aquatint Plate 75.0cm (H) x 49.0cm (W) Paper 1110cm (H) x 76.0cm (W) 2003 Edition: 73/100 .2) Walga Walga Sugar Lift Aquatint Plate 75.0cm (H) x 49.0cm (W) Paper 1110cm (H) x 76.0cm (W) 2003 Edition: 73/100 .3) Nammooroddoo Sugar Lift Aquatint Plate 75.0cm (H) x 49.0cm (W) Paper 1110cm (H) x 76.0cm (W) 2003 Edition: 73/100 Nammooroddoo Sugar Lift Aquatint Plate 75.0cm (H) x 49.0cm (W) Paper 1110cm (H) x 76.0cm (W) 2003 Edition: 73/100 .3) Nammooroddoo Sugar Lift Aquatint Plate 75.0cm (H) x 49.0cm (W) Paper 1110cm (H) x 76.0cm (W) 2003 Edition: 73/100 .4) Mun Gruk Gruk Woman Sugar Lift Aquatint Plate 75.0cm (H) x 49.0cm (W) Paper 1110cm (H) x 76.0cm (W) 2003 Edition: 73/100 .5 Mun Gruk Gruk Man Sugar Lift Aquatint Plate 75.0cm (H) x 49.0cm (W) Paper 1110cm (H) x 76.0cm (W) 2003 Edition: 73/100 .6) Mun Gruk Gruk Sugar Lift Aquatint Plate 75.0cm (H) x 49.0cm (W) Paper 1110cm (H) x 76.0cm (W) 2003 Edition: 73/100 .7) Lightning Man Sugar Lift Aquatint Plate 75.0cm (H) x 49.0cm (W) Paper 1110cm (H) x 76.0cm (W) 2003 Edition: 73/100 Donated through the Australian Government Cultural Gifts Programme by Katherine N. Littlewood, 2014artist, artwork, paddy fordham wainburranga, paddy fordham, wainburranga, printmaking, aboriginal, indigenous, churchill, dreaming

John Gartner was a fine printer and publisher, an author, a noted philatelist, and also collector of Australian banknotes and coins. He was born on 16 July 1914 and was largely self-educated, leaving school at fourteen for work following the death of his father. Gartner developed a strong interest in the history of typography and printing and was apprenticed at the Advocate where his father had been a linotype operator. Aged 17, Gartner bought a hand press and some fonts of type, and in 1937 acquired a platen press from which he set and printed his private press books, published under the imprint of The Hawthorn Press. Gartner had a strong collection of Australian bookplates. He also looked at the work of artists overseas and commissioned personal plates. He subsequently built an international collection with preference for artists who printed from wood. His initial searches were in Belgium and Holland.(http://www3.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-84/t1-g-t7.html) The title is depicted in white on a grey blue background within an eight sided borderbookplate, printmaking, australian bookplate design award, keith wingrove memorial trust

John Gartner was a fine printer and publisher, an author, a noted philatelist, and also collector of Australian banknotes and coins. He was born on 16 July 1914 and was largely self-educated, leaving school at fourteen for work following the death of his father. Gartner developed a strong interest in the history of typography and printing and was apprenticed at the Advocate where his father had been a linotype operator. Aged 17, Gartner bought a hand press and some fonts of type, and in 1937 acquired a platen press from which he set and printed his private press books, published under the imprint of The Hawthorn Press. Gartner had a strong collection of Australian bookplates. He also looked at the work of artists overseas and commissioned personal plates. He subsequently built an international collection with preference for artists who printed from wood. His initial searches were in Belgium and Holland.(http://www3.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-84/t1-g-t7.html) Book plate depicts a series of coinsVery small signature bottom right cornerbookplate, printmaking, australian bookplate design award, keith wingrove memorial trust

Norman Keith HOFMAIER (12.08.1951- ) Born Beulah, Wimmera, Victoria Norman Hofmaier was a scion of a well-known family, he completed his secondary education at Hopetoun High School and Ballarat College. Later he studied Visual Art at University of Ballarat, including painting, design and sculpture. Hofmaier’s childhood in Beulah was spent on the family property running beside the Yarriambiack Creek. Both he and his father had an intimate knowledge of the flora and fauna of the Mallee. The Wyperfeld National Park, home to the Big Desert, was a favourite place for Norman’s uncle who planted acres of native trees at the family property. Dr Di Bresciani explains: “The colours and vastness of the Mallee are represented in many works which reflect, variously, the relentless quiet and swirling energies found in the ‘dust storm might’ of the Mallee area. Most works may be described as abstract, lyrical abstract or abstract expressionist." From the 1970s until the 1990s he began an outpouring of work, using oil-based paints overlaid manually on large, specially-prepared boards using brushes, cloths, sponges, sprays or rollers. Petrol solvents were used to soften, blur and enhance shapes and edges. His work reflected his exploration of his inner state, sometimes flowing and placid, sometimes tempestuous. After a brief sojourn into city-life Norman returned to working in the country, until finally submitting to mental illness and permanent care in the mid 1990s. Norman Hofmaier's works are represented in major collections including that of the well- known artist Mitch Pearson ( an important influence and lifelong friend). The work 'Pastel of a Nude' was shown in a widely distributed magazine and two works owned by Mark Shannon were planned to be published as record covers in 1993. He won an award during the bicentennial recognising his skill as a Wimmera artist. From the 1970s until the 1990s he began an outpouring of work, using oil-based paints overlaid manually on large, specially-prepared boards using brushes, cloths, sponges, sprays or rollers. Petrol solvents were used to soften, blur and enhance shapes and edges. This work was purchased from the exhibition 'Norman Hofmaier: Mallee Mysteries' at the Lost Ones Gallery in Camp Street, Ballarat. The exhibition explored the legacy of Hofmaier’s work as well as raising money for the Ballarat Art Foundation. The Hofmaier family donated 16 works of the artist to be sold to raise funds for the foundation, to support emerging artists.Original painting in square format, featuring abstract swirls of blue, white, red, yellow and green.On back of work: 1. pools of diluted oil paint covering approximately 8 cm from each edge, 2. in right hand corner in permanent marker "N Hofmaier" 3. middle right hand side, torn exhibition label, with the words, "Belauh", "Local Art", "Prome", "Local Art", "$350", "Collect A", "oin" 4. Bottom right corner, two exhibition labels on card. Cards read: The flowing of movement before any known bodies are formed. Matter and gases bubble forming kaleidoscopic colours and shapes. Promethius 1 Oil based pigment with petrol on prepared board 1320 x 1210 mm On front of work, bottom right hand corner, in white lettering, N Hofmaier. Bottom right hand olive green frame damaged on front of work.painter, mallee, beluah, norman hofmaier, wimmera, abstract, alumni

Lin ONUS (1948-1996) Lin Onus was integral to the recognition of Aboriginal art in the contemporary Australian art landscape. His work expresses the dynamism of living culture; Onus was a prominent figure in renegotiating the history of colonial and Aboriginal Australian. An early influence of this dedication was his father, who was the founder of the Aboriginal Advancement League in Victoria and a maker of artefacts. As a young boy Onus was subsequently exposed to visiting Aboriginal artists and assisted his father in decorating artefacts. His painting Barmah Forest won the Aboriginal Heritage Award in 1994; Onus also received a Member of the Order of Australia “for service to the arts as a painter and sculptor and the other promotion of Aboriginal artists and their work.” (https://www.portjacksonpress.com.au/artists/lin-onus)Unframed colour screenprint with a limited edition of 60.lin onus, frogs, aboriginal, screenprint, printmaking, gippsland campus, print council australia

A number of sketchbooks filled with sketches and paintings by Dr David Alexander. .29) Includes sketch portrait of Gerty McDowell, Stephen, Molly Bloom, Father Cowley S.J., Father Connel, The Lake at Burrumbeetdavid alexander, drawing, landscape, figure drawing, boats, merimbula, portraits, life drawing