Nora Heysen Exhibition: Keith reviews the exhibition in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia
Carrick Hill has always been associated with art. When the Hayward family built it as their family home they brought with them their passion for all things beautiful. The house is now open to the pubic and has regular exhibitions - the latest is the work of the 'other Heysen'.
Ascend the imposing staircase inside and we find a landmark exhibition of Nora Heysen - daughter of the renowned painter of the gumtrees, Sir Hans Heysen. Curator, Jane Hylton has drawn together more than 50 works from public and private collections for the exhibition she's entitled "Light and Life". It's the first major retrospective of Nora's work since her death in 2003 aged 92 and traces her prolific 70-year career.
Born in 1911, Nora was one of the eight Heysen children to be raised at The Cedars - Sir Hans and his wife Sallie's inspirational property near Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills. Nora displayed a precocious talent at an early age and was the only one to follow in her father's artistic footsteps.
"I wanted to be like my father so I went out with father and drew gum trees. I had the urge from time back as far as I can remember - I wanted to draw." Nora said in an interview before her death. And draw she did… her early works showing an uncanny likeness to her father's powerful landscapes.
Nora held her first exhibition when she was just 23. It was a hit - raising enough money for her to pack her bags and head to Europe - just as her father had done before her. She arrived in London and set up house with Evie, a sculptor friend from Adelaide.
Jane Hylton, Curator: "She shares (her flat) with Evie and this gorgeous painting called 'London Breakfast' is of Evie having breakfast in that flat. It's a very happy time, she's really learning about herself, really learning about her art and she enjoys the sort of domesticity if you like of being in this little place on her own."
But the happy times didn't last. 'Down and Out in London' is at the other end of the emotional spectrum - sombre colours, drab kitchen clutter and washing in the background.
Jane Hylton, Curator: "It's extraordinary when you look at different colours, different palettes in these two paintings. One's quite pleasantly light and looks warm and the other definitely looks quite bleak to me."
Nora returned to the Cedars a different person. Brimming with confidence she knew it was time to get out of her father's imposing shadow so she moved to Sydney to pursue totally different subject matters. She painted flowers, still lifes and portraits - not a tree in sight.
Jane Hylton, Curator: "Nora's a woman of firsts - she was the first to win the Archibald Prize and she was also the first woman to be appointed as an Australian war artist…"
Working in tough conditions in New Guinea Nora cleverly combined her still life talent with her passion for painting people - with great effect. Her portrait of army nurse, Gwynneth Patterson is a great example.
Jane Hylton, Curator: "This particular work is such a charming portrait, it's so unpretentious, I think it's a delightful work. There's evidence too of how quickly Nora had to work while she was painting these portraits - leaving a lot of blank canvas and sort of scratching back and so on. So there's a real energy to a lot of these portraits and I think particularly this one.
"There's an incredible strength and determination in Nora. From the word go she was very determined to be an artist - that's what she was going to be and really what she focussed on for her whole life."
"I got there by sheer persistence and hard work," Nora said in the interview. "So did father. Very disciplined and very hard worker we are - my father and likewise myself."
So it's appropriate isn't it that in some galleries Nora Heysen's paintings hang alongside those of her fathers?
The book 'Nora Heysen - Light and Life' by Jane Hylton is available from Carrick Hill and good bookshops or through Wakefield Press. There's a great DVD out too - featuring the interview snippets we've used. 'Of Art and Men' is also on sale at Carrick Hill, at The Cedars or online. The exhibition at Carrick Hill runs until June 28 2009. The Cedars is open Tuesday to Sunday and Public Holidays. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
'Nora Heysen - Light and life' By Jane Hylton Available Carrick Hill, The Cedars, good bookshops
'Nora Heysen - of art and men' DVD Available Carrick Hill, The Cedars
'Light and Life' exhibition
Carrick Hill Springfield
Until June 28
Open 10am-4.30pm Wed - Sun (entry fee applies)The Cedars
Heysen Rd, Hahndorf
Open Tues-Sun 10am - 4.30pmPublished 31st May 2009
