Showing 72 items
matching featherston
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Robin Boyd Foundation
Furniture - Sofa, Grant Featherston, RS161 Featherston Contour Settee, 1951
This pair of RS161 Grant Featherston Contour Settees (1951) were previously in the Boyd home in Camberwell. Robin Boyd designed the Ivanhoe home and Grant and Mary Featherston (1967).Two two-seater settees, with four timber cigar shaped legs with round flat metal brass feet. Olive green/copper loose weave fabric. Wool/silk blend fabric. Twenty five self-covered buttons. Curvaceous contour shape.walsh st furnishings, settee, featherston, robin boyd -
Robin Boyd Foundation
Furniture - Chair, Grant Featherston, Prototype Relaxation Chair
These two chairs are Grant Featherston prototypes of the 1947 Relaxation Chairs. These chairs came from the Boyd family's Camberwell home (666 Riversdale Road, Camberwell, formerly 158 Riversdale Road) and were originally upholstered with webbing. The fixings were modified in the final product Relaxation chairs. Robin Boyd designed the Ivanhoe home of Grant and Mary Featherston (1967).Dark orange with black fine check woven wool. Nine self-covered buttons. Laminated timber legs and arms (no frame). Three visible timber pegs/bolts connect arms to the body.walsh st furnishings, robin boyd, grant featherston, ohm2022, ohm2022_33 -
Robin Boyd Foundation
Furniture - Chair, Grant Featherston
These two chairs and another pair of chairs (item F044) are Grant Featherston prototypes of the 1947 Relaxation Chairs. These chairs came from the Boyd family's Camberwell home (666 Riversdale Road, Camberwell, formerly 158 Riversdale Road) and were originally upholstered with webbing. The fixings were modified in the final product relaxation chairs. Robin Boyd designed the Ivanhoe home of Grant and Mary Featherston (1967).Set of two black and grey fine checked wool fabric. Laminated timber legs and frame. 9 self-covered buttons. No arms.walsh st furnishings, robin boyd, grant featherston -
Bendigo Art Gallery
Furniture, Grant FEATHERSTON, A310 Contour chair (pair), 1953
Nonedecorative arts, chair, chairs, featherston, a310 contour chair, contour -
Robin Boyd Foundation
Decorative object - Model of Featherston House, 2017
This model of the Robin Boyd-designed Featherston house in Ivanhoe, Victoria commissioned by Grant and Mary Featherston (1967). This model was created for the House of Ideas exhibition, made by a University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Design, Masters student.Model of Robin Boyd-designed Featherston house.robin boyd -
Robin Boyd Foundation
Book, Geoff Isaac, Featherston, 2017
HardcoverRBF Acquisitionwalsh st library -
Melbourne Tram Museum
Photograph - Framed Photographs, Malvern Framing Gallery, c1990
Framed photograph Malvern Driver Ron Scholten's driving W6 917 on a route, East Malvern Darling Road, route 3, in St Kilda Road, c1990. Has St Patricks Cathedral and the Gas and Fuel towers in the background. Has a tram stop sign on the right hand side of the photograph. The tram has two advertisements on the side. Photograph by David Featherston. Received with a broken sheet of glass.On rear in pencil "Photo David Featherston"trams, tramways, swanston st, st kilda rd, tram stops, tram 917 -
Ringwood and District Historical Society
Book, Helen Tolpliss, The Artists Camps: Plein Air Painting In Melbourne 1885-1898, 1984
Image of a Charles Conder painting on front of soft covered book titled The Artists' Camps: Plein Air Painting In Melbourne 1885-1898. FOREWORD by Margaret Plant - Department of Visual Arts, Monash University. The paintings of the 'Heidelberg school" are the best loved group of works in Australian art. The affection is linked in the national mind with a recognition that the authentic Australian landscape had been discovered and colonial bonds broken. The painting activity of the 1880s and 1890s was by no means confined to Heidelberg. Helen Topliss painstakingly presents the variety of sites around Melbourne, in the bush and on the coast, reconstructing their original character and the history of their accessibility. The major figures are well known — Roberts, McCubbin, Streeton and Conder — but there were a number of 'minor' artists associated with the various painting spots that have been too long neglected. A research programme is here initiated in the hope that some of these figures might be more fully returned to us. The restoration of the sites provokes a more extensive roll-call of artists involved in the plein air phenomenon. Various expressions of nationalism in the late nineteenth century have been accorded attention: the painters contributed in varying degrees. But it is, finally, the quality of the painting, the freshness, the particularity of nuance, the calculated aesthetic angles that have governed response and inspired affection. The elegant relaxation themes of many of the paintings have in fact been overlooked in the intellectualization of the quest for 'national identity'. The orchards and the beaches, the ladies promenading a la mode on the beach at Mentone or in the grasses of Box Hill are as important to our artistic tradition and social history as the shearers of rams. -
Pyrenees Shire Council
painting, Heather Featherson, Beaufort from Camp Hill by Heather Featherson, 2007
significant as a work of art by local Pyrenees artist, locally significant to the Central Highlands Region of Victoria as a representation of local landscape and/or culture Landscape painting of Beaufort Townshipsigned: H FEATHERSTON (lower right) -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - KELLY AND ALLSOP COLLECTION: LIST OF NAMES
Handwritten list of names and numbers. The names are: Goyne, Greaves Ham, Ross, Strangham, Stevenson, ?, Wedd?, Watson, B?, Neill, Cromley, Spencer, Taylor, Capell, Bec?pale, Shannon, Morton, J. Levy, Tennant, Jones, Ronalos, Brown, Benjamin, B?aol?, Lloyd, Yellan?, Bro?oo?, Featherston, Fergusson and Reddich,business, stockbroker, kelly & allsop, kelly and allsop collection - list of names, goyne, greaves ham, ross, strangham, stevenson, ?, wedd?, watson, b?, neill, cromley, spencer, taylor, capell, bec?pale, shannon, morton, j. levy, tennant, jones, ronalos, brown, benjamin, b?aol?, lloyd, yellan?, bro?oo?, featherston, fergusson, reddich -
Canterbury History Group
Letter - Letter to Rev. J.D.Potter from Rev. W.R.Featherston, 31 May 1985, 31/05/1985 12:00:00 AM
Copy of letter from Rev. W. R. Featherston of Holy Trinity Vicarage, Hampton, to Rev. J. D. Potter of St. Paul's Anglican Church Canterbury regarding the proposed visit to Melbourne of the Vicar of Beirut and his wife in 1985. On the reverse side of the letter is a handwritten list of the vicars of St. Paul's from 1892-1971canterbury, margaret street, st. pauls anglican church, churches, potter> j.d., clergy, lists -
Robin Boyd Foundation
Photograph
Images of upstairs living room at Walsh St with two Arthur Boyd oil paintings and Featherston and Boyd sofas, from late 1990s perhaps.Set of 6 colour photographs -
Bendigo Military Museum
Memorabilia - CARVING, FRAMED, c.1943 - 1945
Carving was made by a Japanese Prisoner Of War in a New Zealand POW Camp in Featherston, North Island. Original owner believed to be Graeme Richards who was a guard at the camp.Solid wooden carving of the Great Wall of China. Tan with matching frame, cord hanging strap on back.Carving history attached to backing.memorabilia, carving, china, pow, -
Robin Boyd Foundation
Newspaper - Clipping, Keith Dunstan, The mark of Robin Boyd, 19.10.1971
This is mostly a pictorial piece documenting many of Boyd's buildings - John Batman Motor Inn, The Fishbowl, Featherston house, Appletree Hill Housing Development, Menzies College, McCaughey Hall.A double page spreadwalsh st library -
Robin Boyd Foundation
Newspaper - Clipping, Keith Dunstan, The mark of Robin Boyd, 19.10.1971
This is mostly a pictorial piece documenting many of Boyd's buildings - John Batman Motor Inn, The Fishbowl, Featherston house, Appletree Hill Housing Development, Menzies College, McCaughey Hall.A double page spread, pp 30-31. (3 copies)walsh st library -
Robin Boyd Foundation
Furniture - Sofa, Robin Boyd
Robin Boyd designed this three-seater sofa. The sofa was featured in the promotional brochure for Domain Park Flats in 1962. The original sofa is in similar tones to the Featherston chairs (item F002) - it is currently stored offsite.Rectangular three-seater sofa. 6 timber cigar shaped legs with round flat brass metal feet. Olive green/copper loose weave fabric. Wool/silk blend fabric. Armless.walsh st furnishings, sofa, domain park, robin boyd -
Clunes Museum
Photograph
Back Row: M Vorback, P Sewell, D Toose, B Torney, L Thomas, P Hill, Middle Row: K Kinnersly (Trainer), P Tennant, A McMickan, G Stanger, R Fraser (Coach), L Tucker, M Weatherson, R Cowie, W ingram (Trainer), Seated: J Featherston, K uller, G Fenton, P Lyttle (Capt), T Hill, (VC) K Burt, L Lubeek Front: S Steart, R Ingram.Colour photocopy of a coloured photograph of Australian Rules Football team Clunes Football club 1st VX000 - Premiers 1878clunes football club, premiers 1978 -
Clunes Museum
Photograph
.1 Photograph of a colour photograph of Clunes Football Club Premiers 1978 .2 Photcopy of this photocopyBack Row: Lance Hughes, Peter Searle, David Toose, Len Thomas, Barry Torney, Bob McLean, Dale Featherston, Peter Hill, Mark Vorbach, Third Row: Bruce Jones (Runner), Kevin Kinnersley, Ken Muller Phillip Tennant, Arno Van Berkel, Robert Fraser (Coach), Don Bartlett, Lawrie Steart, Ken Burt, Lawrence Lubech, Bill Ingram (Trainer) Second Row: Alex McMickan, Ron Leahman, Neil Weatherson, Greg Stanger, Gary Fenton, Ian Little, Tony Hill, Ross Cowie, Lindsay Tucker, Geoffrey Annear, Steven Steart Front Row: Geoffrey Featherston, Robert Hind, Ricky Ingram, Paddy Carbone Inset: Raymond Hillcfnc, australian rules football, 1978 -
Bayside Gallery - Bayside City Council Art & Heritage Collection
Photograph - hand-coloured photograph, Brighton Centenary Year, Stage decoration, Mayoral Ball, c. 1959
This work was presented to The Mayor and Mayoress, Cr. and Mrs R.G. Ward, by the citizens of Brighton to commemorate the Brighton Centenary in 1959. Brighton was first incorporated as a borough on 18 January 1859, it became a town on 18 March 1887 and was proclaimed a city on 12 March 1919. The new Brighton Municipal Offices were designed by Kevin Knight of Oakley and Parkes with the engineers John Connell and Associates and were erected by Prentice Builders Pty Ltd. The foundation stone was laid on 13 February 1959 and the building was opened on 21 July 1961. The interior decoration and furniture was by Grant Featherston.brighton centenary, brighton town hall, stage decoration, mayoral ball, brighton municipal offices, civic centre, oakley and parkes, kevin knight, r.g. ward, mayor -
Bayside Gallery - Bayside City Council Art & Heritage Collection
Model, Alan W. Chandler, Brighton Municipal Complex, 1959
This model of the Brighton Municipal Offices was made by Alan W. Chandler. The Brighton Municipal Offices were designed by Kevin Knight of Oakley and Parkes with the engineers John Connell and Associates and were erected by Prentice Builders Pty Ltd. The foundation stone was laid on 13 February 1959 and the building was opened on 21 July 1961. The interior decoration and furniture was by Grant Featherston. As is common practice, an architectural model was prepared to present the final concept of the building for approval to the Brighton City Council. In February 1959 festivities occurred to celebrate the centenary of the municipality of Brighton. A garden party attended by two hundred Brighton residents was held in the grounds of the Brighton Town Hall. This model graced the centre of the lily pond during the event. The following day the foundation stone of the Brighton Municipal Offices was laid.Architectural model of a large public building in orange brick, the main cylindrical tower is set within a rectangular structure, with circular and oval roof structures. The model is set within landscaped grounds with paths, a water feature, several trees and bushes, lawns and flower beds.brighton municipal complex, brighton civic centre, brighton chambers, architectural model, model, alan w. chandler, kevin knight, oakley and parkes, architecture, municipal offices, municipal building, scale model -
Clunes Museum
Photograph - PHOTOGRAPH FOOTBALL 1953, CLUNES FOOTBALL CLUB PREMIERS AND CHAMPIONS 1953, 1953
.1 & .2 ORIGINAL MOUNTED PHOTOGRAPHS OF CLUNES FOOTBALL TEAM 1953. (2 ) (.1 HAS PASTED ON BACK, 1979 - 80 CRICKET TOUR DATES) .3 & .4 COPIES OF .2 .5 SMALL PHOTOGRAPH OF .2NAMES OF PLAYERS J.COON, R.MILLGATE, R.BARKER, I.LEISHMAN, W.TOOLE (PROPERTY) G.DONALDSON, T ANNEAR (GOAL) T COON, A FEATHERSTON, K VORBACK, G MACLENNAN, H TOOLE (V.PRES) G M JONES (SEC) K ROBINSON (PRES) J HIGGINS (TRAIN.) G HAWKINS. A STEART, J HUDSON, G COON, T WICKHAM (V.CAPT) F ATTCHISON (CAPT & COACH) W INGRAM, L BRUSASCHI, R ANDERSON, N MILLGATE, J MACLENNAN.local history, photography, photographs, sport, football -
Clunes Museum
Certificate, LIONS CLUB CHARTER
Framed black and white photocopy of the International Association of Lions Clubs Charter 197523rd September 1975 Members names: Bar james (President), Kenneth Brown (secretary), Peter Kent (Treasurer), Noel Allen, Donald Bartlett, Frederick Byron, Richard Clarke, Sydney Duncan, William Dunne, Alan Featherston, Barry Goldsmith, William Holmes, Allan Jackson, Peter Jackson, Ugo Lolacono, John Miller, Neil Millgate, Ian McFarlane, Peter Powell, Charles Robbins, Graham Richardson, Ronald Sheedy, Albert Steart, Kenneth Tidyman, Paul Vemer, Thomas Wickham.lions club of clunes -
Clunes Museum
Photograph, 1975
Photocopy of a coloured photograph of the Clunes Football Club 1975 Seniors Finalists Back Row: Peter, Hill, Arno Van Berkel, Greg Campbell, Geoff Kohn, John Clarke Third Row: Jan Holmes, Dennis Coon, Bernie Rodhe, Ken Ridley, John Hill (Pres Kevin Kinnersley (sec) Ricky Ingram, Ray Hill, Phillip Tennant Second Row: John Driscoll (Trainer), Ken Muller, Tony Hill, Lindsay Tucker, Mick Armstrong, Daryl Riddiford, Andrew Leishman, Bill Ingram (Trainer), Front Row: Geoffrey Annear, Alex McMickan, Alan Annear, Geoffrey Featherstonclunes football club, 1975, finalists -
Clunes Museum
Photograph - PHOTOGRAPH FOOTBALL 1951, THORNTON - RICHARDS & CO. PHOTOGRAPHER, 1951
BLACLK AND WHITE MOUNTED PHOTOGRAPH OF THE 1951 CLUNES SENIORS FOOTBALL CLUB TEAM PREMIERS 1951PRINTED ON REVERSE IN BLACK INK; D DAVIES, A FEATHERSON, L BRUSASCHI, R FEATHERSTON (DELEGATE), F TOWNSING, S BRUSASCHI, R ANDERSON G MCLENNAN, H TOOLE (VICE PRES.), J LEISHMAN (PRES), G W JONES (SEC), K ROBINSON (COMMITEE) K VORBACK, R MULLER J HIGGINS (TRAINER) J HUDSON, L TOOSE, T FLETCHER, J MCLENNAN (VICE-CAPT), F ATCHISON (CAPT.) V MCRUM, T WICKHAM, G HAWKINS, P MCGRACH SITTING, W INGRAMphotographs, football, premiers 1951 -
Clunes Museum
Photograph
Clunes defeated Ballan in the newly established Central Highlands League (CHFL)Photocopy of colour photograph. Central Highlands League Clunes Football Club 1st XXIII - Premiers 1978Back Row: J Featherston, D Coon, R Hill, L Hughes, B Holland, B Troned, M Vorbach, A Leishman, H Muller, G Keirce Middle: J Hind, L Ingram, L Steart (Trees) D Bartlett,(Pres) R Fraser (Coach, A Van Berkel (Sec.) Front Row: M Watherson, P Tennant, T HIll, (V.C.) L Lyttle (Capt) G Stranger (D.V.C.), L Tucker, L Lubeek, Absent: P Sewell, S Stear, J Taylor, L Thomas, K Kinnersley, J Walker clunes football club, 1978, chfl -
Clunes Museum
Photograph - 1st Clunes Cubs & Scouts c1958, HERALD & WEEKLY TIMES
.1 BLACK AND WHITE PHOT0GRAPH SCOUT GROUP .2 BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH CUBS GROUPON REVERSE: NAMES WRITTEN IN PENCIL; .1 BACK ROW: RON PATTERSON, BARRY WATTS, JOHN CARTER, ALAN JONES, GEOFF CONSTATINE, HAROLD MCRONIE 2ND ROW LESTER CAMPBELL, ALAN HENDRICKSON, GREG PATTERSON, JOHN WORSLEY, BILL VAN BERKEL, BOBBY MEAD, RON JONES, BERTIE VAN RAAPHORST 3RD ROW: GRAEME COOK, UNKNOWN, JOHN WILLIAMS, GRAEME FEATHERSTON, UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN, GRAHAM TOOLE, IAN IODER FRONT ROW: UGO LA IACONO, KEITH OULTON, ALLAN PATTERSON, CYRIL SWANTON, JON PEART, JIM FLYNN .2 BACK ROW: EDDY LUFF, ERIC HENDRICKSON, LAURIE RIENIETS, TREVOR LAZARUS, IAN JONES, LANCE INGRAM. MIDDLE ROW: IAN VORBACH, BILL MAKER, ARNO VAN BERKEL, BRIAN FOLEY, PETER LAZARUS, RICHARD VINECOMBE, ROBERT CAMPBELL FRONT ROW: HAYDEN TORNEY, PETER BALLINGER, DAID WILLIAMS, CYRIL SWANTON, NEIL HIGGINS, WALLACE BRITTEN, ARTIE VAN RAAPHORSTclunes scout group, clunes cub group -
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Textile, Frances Burke, Goanna, c. early 1950s
Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs. -
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Textile, Frances Burke, Mosaic, c. 1962
Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs. -
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Textile, Frances Burke, Tiger Stripe, c. 1939
Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs. -
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Textile, Frances Burke, Crete, 1948
Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs.