Local artist Graeme Drendel often depicts isolated individuals against stark Australian landscapes. Even when portrayed in group settings, Drendel’s figures exude solitude and introspection. Their expressions and attire hint at larger, obscured narratives, which the viewer is left to unravel or imagine. His paintings seamlessly blend the ordinary with the surreal, which creates a sense of uneasiness or forboding. Viewers grapple with the challenge of deciphering these compositions.

Born in Melbourne in 1913, Noel Counihan was a social realist painter, printmaker and cartoonist, and a passionate social campaigner. The namesake of Merri-bek City Council’s Counihan Gallery, his experiences of unemployment and poverty during the 1930s, and his lifelong involvement in protest movements, inspired his powerful and prolific images of the working class. Donated by the De Fazio family

Shaun Tan is best known for his illustrated books and short films that deal with social, political and historical subjects through dream-like imagery and fantastic creatures. In addition to his book and film work, Tan is a respected and prolific painter. Octopus 2 is one of three paintings of Anstey Station, which is next to Tan’s art studio. Nearby, there is an octopus painted on the roller door of a bait shop. Tan observes that the octopus is usually only visible at night, and then not very well: "It is an eerie vision, a bit comical too. There is something about the tucked-away grouping of high and low walls, the amber light and the jumble of signage that I find very evocative, as if there is some spirit being tucked up in this unlooked-at pocket of the rail-line”.

Shaun Tan is best known for his illustrated books and short films that deal with social, political and historical subjects through dream-like imagery and fantastic creatures. In addition to his book and film work, Tan is a respected and prolific painter. Tan’s paintings capture a sense of place and atmosphere, even when the specific location is not made explicit. Tan says of his practice: “Often I don’t know why I need to paint a certain scene, only that I do, as if to stop it from drifting away too quickly, to just allow a little more time to think about it. Or to just say ‘I saw this’”.

Raafat Ishak is a Melbourne-based artist working across painting, installation and site-specific drawing. His work delves into the exploration of identity and the challenges of navigating life between two cultures, particularly influenced by his teenage emigration from Cairo, Egypt. Ishak employs a graphic visual language in his art, drawing inspiration from both architecture and his Arabic heritage. His artistic practice is situated at the crossroads of the personal and the political, delving into themes of utopia through the use of romanticised imagery. Through his work, Ishak seeks to scrutinize and interpret the complexities of cross-cultural dialogue.

In April 2002, illustrative panels were set in place at Kangaroo Ground War Memorial Park designed to inform visitors about significant aspects of the reserve and its tower. One of these deals with its indigenous story, another portrays its original 1920 memorial, a third has upon it Will Longstaff’s famous war painting, “Midnight at Menin Gate.” This sign establishes a connection with the First World War by way of the painting "Menin Gate at Midnight". (NL 144) The artist William Longstaff lived in Eltham; his son attended school at Kangaroo Ground. The orignal of his painting is on permanent display in the Australian War Memorial. Since this photograph was taken (date unknown) the information panel has been restored and re-erected by staff of the Shire of Nillumbik who replicated the wooden side frame pieces with the same wood-turn design as seen here in the original. Colour photographMENIN GATE AT MIDNIGHT Will Longstaff, 1927 Oil on canvas, Size 135cm high x 254cm wide Collection: Australian War Memorial The artist Will Longstaff was born in in Ballarat in 1879 and died at Littlehampton, Sussex, UK, 1953. Will Longstaff for many years lived in Eltham, his son Tommy, attending school at Kangaroo Ground. As an Official War Artist, will Longstaff depicted in his alegorical painting the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. The Memorial unveiled on 24th July 1927 honours by name over 50, 000 allied soldiers who fell in the Great War and have no known graves. The names of 6,208 men of the first Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) are listed within the Memorial on stone tablets. The painting held huge emotional appeal to Australians when it arrived from England in 1928, attracting an estimated one million viewers, many of whom interpreted the field of red poppies in the foreground as the spirits of the dead rising from their unknown graves. The painting is to be found in the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.menin gate at midnight, william longstaff, kangaroo ground memorial, information panel, shire of eltham war memorial

Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Mack Jost, 1992.oil on composition boardSigned, lower rightrobert dickerson, the antipodeans, redfern

Maryanne COUTTS (1960- ) Born Melbourne, Victoria Maryanne Coutts studied at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), The University of Melbourne, 1979 -1981, the University of NSW (UNSW),1984 and was awarded a PhD (Painting) from Federation University Australia in 1999. She has exhibited extensively throughout Australia and internationally including the United Kingdom, Spain and Thailand. She has worked as a Sessional Lecturer at the Arts Academy, University of Ballarat (1999 - 2003), and is currently Head of Drawing at the National Art School, Sydney. In 2007 Maryanne Coutts won the Portia Geach Memorial Award and was the joint winner of the Blake Price in 1982. This item is part of the Federation University Art Collection. The Art Collection features over 2000 works and was listed as a 'Ballarat Treasure' in 2007.An apple depicted in oil by Maryanne Coutts. This work was created specifically for the 'Imaging the Apple' Touring Exhibition curated by John R. Neeson. It was also exhibited in 'Telling Tales: Maryanne Coutts' at the Ballarat Fine Arts Gallery in 2008. Donated by the Australian Cultural Gifts Program, 2008art, artwork, maryanne coutts, coutts, apple, alumni

Vera MöLLER (1955 - ) Born Bremen, German Arrived Australia 1986 Vera Möller is a Melbourne based artist with a keen interest in the natural world. She studied fine art at the Victorian College of the Arts and Monash University. 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.Painting of an apple, exhibited in the 'Imaging the Apple' travelling exhibition. art, artwork, vera moller, moller, imaging the apple, fruit, still life, vera moeller

Alun LEACH-JONES (1937- 24 December 2017) Born Maghull, Lancashire, United Kingdom Arrived Australia 1960 Alun Leach-Jones is recognised as one of Australia's leading abstract colour painters. He spent his childhood in the Welsh village of Glasfryn, Denbighshire. At the age of 14 he started a three year apprenticeship with the Solicitors Law Society, Liverpool illuminating manuscripts and hand copying legal documents. While working with the law society Leach-Jones studied painting and drawing in the evenings at the Liverpool College of Art between the years 1955-57. He immigrated to Australia in 1960, settling in Adelaide and attending the South Australian School of Art, after which he travelled and exhibited throughout Australia and abroad. In 1966 Leach-Jones celebrated Noumenon series was shown with Australian Galleries in Melbourne and he was immediately recognised as being part of what was then labelled as ‘the New Abstraction’ in Australian art. Later in 1968 his work was included in the influential exhibition "The Field" held at the National Gallery of Victoria. This item is part of the Federation University Art Collection. The Art Collection features over 2000 works and was listed as a 'Ballarat Treasure' in 2007. Purchased by the Council of State College of Victoria, Ballarat, 1974art, artwork, leach-jones, alun leach-jones, abstract

Finalist Robert Klein-Boonschate in the ANL Maritime Art Prize 2003 Biography: (https://www.artpartners.com.au/robert-kleinboonschate/) Born in The Netherlands, Robert migrated to Tallangatta, Australia with his family in 1971. Robert completed a degree in Graphic Art at Swinburne College and settled into Melbourne for the next seven years as a professional artist and art facilitator. Robert moved to Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in the 1980’s where he worked closely with Arrernte Peoples for the next 12 years. Robert’s beautiful landscapes reflect the influence of Arrernte artist Albert Namatjira and his love of the Australian landscape reflects his experiences with the Arrernte Peoples and their connection to ‘Country’. Robert opened the art studio located at his home in Alice Springs to Arrernte, Luritja, Warlpiri & Pintupi artists and worked alongside such artists as Johnny Warrangkula Tjupurrula. Robert helped to facilitate Johnny’s later body of work by constructing special brushes which could be used by Johnny after breaking his wrist. Robert has returned to NSW and now lives in Walla Walla surrounded by the rugged natural landscapes of Australia.Large scale Oil on Belgian Linen depicting dockside and ships.docks, waterside, maritime art, robert klein-boonschate, artwork-paintings, maritime art prize, anl

Oil on canvas. Depiction of Baileys Rocks Casterton. Stacked circular shaped boulders set in amongst a bush backdrop. Trunks of trees are ghost gum grey with various greenery and hints of a blue sky through the trees. Yellow spatters in the in the bottom right quadrant. Black signature bottom right corner. 'Julie Kent'

CEMA Art Collection Winner of Portland Artists' Society Prize for category Oil.The painting portrays a standing female figure. She has straight black hair which sits just above shoulder length. she has a short fringe. She wears a blue and green dress with orange markings. She is depicted as looking at the observer and holds something in her right hand which is held across her body. The background is a mixture of purple, green and blue. The work has a thick wooden frame and exposed canvas.Front: - 63 AMOR (lower right, black paint) Back: ELMA AMOR HERBST "GIRL" (1963) (lower left, typed label)cema, portland artists society, female artist, women, female artists, female portrait, portrait painting, portrait

R. F. and D. M. Pavey ownersBusinesses used calendars to advertise their goods and services.Coloured Calendar "Pioneering Days 1851" print top half, bottom half includes General Store information and calendar'Chas. Steele and Co. Pty. Ltd. Printers, Melbourne' 'From original painting by C. Salis Lloyd'grocers, oil, petrol, business, birdwoodton, 1954, newsagents,

William Nichols Anderson (1873-1927) was an Australian painter, one of whose works from the 1906 series River + Rail is in the Kew Historical Society’s art collection (donated 1984). A separate archive file contains correspondence, biographical information (written by his niece), and locations in Kew where he lived. Much of the correspondence between the Society and the City of Kew relates to the painting and its location in the Mayor’s Room at the Kew Civic Offices, Charles Street, where it was on loan from the Society. Lucy M (Jean) Hornby, the artist’s niece and the donor of the painting was a resident of 5 and 20 Queens Street, Kew (Vic). Australian ImpressionismGift of Lucy Hornby, 1984Framed oil on canvas by W. Nicholls Anderson of Park Street, Kew (now Adeney Avenue) looking uphill in a southerly direction towards Cotham Road. The painting is dated to 1906. The two storey house at left was known as 'Eborensis'. The house is still extant on the corner of Adeney Avenue and Parkhill Road. On sticker on back of frame - Adeney Ave./1913/ £3.3.0/ 13th Annual/ Exhib. V.A.S [Victorian Artists Society]/1911 Aust Art Exhib/the Guidlhall/Swanston st Melb./ Adeney's Paddock/ Kew. £3.0.0.artists - kew - victoria - australia, victorian artists society, william nicholls anderson (1873-1927), adeney avenue kew, australian art exhibition 1911, victorian artists' society, w. nicholls anderson

‘Adeney Avenue’ was the title given to this painting following its donation to the Kew Historical Society, yet the work’s origins predate the naming of Adeney Avenue in 1907 [originally gazetted as ‘Park Street’ (1865) and ‘Park Street South’ (1875).] Park Street ran between High Street and Parkhill Road beside what was later to become ‘Victoria Park’. This area was described in 1851 as “…a dense forest of gums and wattles which were to be largely cleared by 1888 after the naming of a recreation reserve”. The Reserve was still bisected by an unnamed creek in 1896, when the area was surveyed by the MMBW. The panoramic vista selected by the artist would appear to include ‘Eborensis’ (c.1895) on the corner of Parkhill Road and what was then Park Street, with views across cleared land towards the distant ranges. In the 19th century, north Kew was largely undeveloped farms stretching down to the Yarra. Oil on canvas by an unidentified artist of a panoramic view depicting what is now known as East Kew with mountains on the horizon. In the foreground is a two storey brick residence - Eborensis - located on the northeast corner of Parkhill Road and what is now Adeney Avenue. The view of the landscape and its rolling hills resulted from farming practices adopted following colonisation and settlement. Trees in the foreground and in the distance include remnant Eucalypts and introduced exotics.Label on rear of frame states "House on corner of Adeney Ave & Parkhill. [Regd. 254"]. Otherwise unsigned and undatedadeney avenue (kew), eborensis, park street (kew)

NeoclassicalOil on board of a Neapolitan fisherman his dog. A label inside the frame states that the painting is mounted on "Prepared Mill Board / Windsor & Newton / Artists' Colourmen / to Her Majesty / and / His Royal Highness Prince Albert / 38, Rahbone Place, London." This would indicate that the artist was British and working between 1841-61. Handwritten on the label is the name W.O. Harland. Modern frame. The painting may have been donated by Rosemary Vaughan-Smith who was a neighbour of Mrs Dorman (sic). artwork, neapolitan fisherman

Gift of Mack Jost, 1992oil on board

Dr Leona Willson was the first female to be elected president of ANZCA (2008 - 2010) and the first New Zealander to hold the position. In 2011, Dr Wilson was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in which she is proudly wearing this medal in the portrait. The portrait was commissioned by ANZCA to mark the presidential term of Dr Leona Wilson which was unveiled at the ANZCA Council meeting June 2013. The artist, Jude Rae, is a Sydney based artist primarily known for her still life paintings, portraits and architectural interiors. Her artwork is held in major public and private collections in Australia, New Zealand, UK and USA. Dr Leona Wilson was the first female ANZCA President and first President from New Zealand to hold the position.Oil on canvas portrait of Dr Leona Wilson wearing the Presidential medal without the Presidential gown. She is wearing the New Zealand Order of Merit medal on her left lapel. She has her hands clasped in front of her and is seated on an angle in a chair in front of a plain grey background. The painting is mounted in a thin black frame and sits in a box frame coloured brown and gold.painting, wilson, leona, rae, jude, new zealand order of merit

Professor Kate Leslie was ANZCA President from 2010 - 2012. The portrait was commissioned by ANZCA to mark the presidential term of Professor Kate Leslie and was unveiled at the ANZCA staff Christmas event on the 15 November 2013. The artist, Robert Hannaford, is from South Australia and was a political catoonist. He has a long history of painting portraits of politicians and distinguished professionals in the field. Oil on canvas portrait of Professor Kate Leslie wearing the Presidential medal without the Presidential gown. She has her arms casually crossed in front with legs crossed, and is seated in front of a plain brown background. The painting is set in a wide timber frame.[lower RHS] HANNAFORD '13painting, leslie, kate, anzca president, hannaford, robert

This portrait is of Dr Walter Thompson, former President of ANZCA from 2006 - 2008 was commissioned by ANZCA to commemorate Dr Thompson's presidential term. The painting was unveiled on 17 April 2009. The artist Ben Joel is a Western Australian artist, well known for his commissioned portraits and contemporary artworks in most media. Joel's artworks are represented in national private and public art collections Oil on canvas portrait of Dr Walter Thompson wearing the Presidential gown and medal. The sitter's hands are clasped in front of him and he is casually seated in front of a plain background coloured in black and red imitating a second frame/window. The painting is set in a plain gold and maroon frame.[ lower right hand side] BEN JOEL '08painting, anzca president, thompson, walter, joel, ben

The painting was commissioned by ANZCA to mark the presidential term of Dr Lindy Roberts from 2012 until 2014. The artist Robert Hannaford has a long history of painting portraits of politicians and distinguished professionals in the field. Oil on canvas portrait of Dr Lindy Roberts seated in front of a plain brown background. She is facing front on with legs crossed, one hand over the other resting on her knee. She is wearing the Presidential medal which is slightly covered by her multi-coloured jacket of pink, grey and white. The painting is set in a wide timber frame.[artist signature and date, lower RHS] HANNAFORD ' 13painting, anzca president, roberts, lindy, hannaford, robert

Painting of the house built on "Oakpark" by Joseph English.Oil on board in a gold painted frame.Label: John Pascoe Fawkner's/Home/1840/Glenroy/by Jean Jackson/36 Acacia Street/Glenroy $250painting, john pascoe fawkner, houses of broadmeadows

Painting of a demolished house from Shire of BroadmeadowsPainted by Jean JacksonOil on board in gold painted wooden frame.Front: "Waverley" Homestead/Built 1887 Demolished 1978 Label on back: "Waverley"/Built 1900/now Colton Close/Genuine Antique Frame $400 Back of painting: "Waverley" 1890/89 Chapman Ave/Glenroy/now Demolished/is now Colton Closebroadmeadows, "waverley", demolished, 1890, jean jackson

Painting of a demolished house from Shire of Broadmeadows.Painting by long time member of the Historical Society.Oil on board in wood frame painted fawn with gold highlights.Label: Pic-002broadmeadows, "waverley", demolished, 1890

Painting of 'Oaklands Homestead' built 1900.Oil on board in a gold painted frame.Front: "Oaklands Homestead/Built 1900" Back: 'Old Homestead'/Reservoir Art Framing Centre/C J Malone, proprietor/18 Livingstone Street, Reservoir 3073/ Phone 954 1142painting, houses of broadmeadows, jean jackson