Alison Rehfisch facts for kids

Alison Baily Rehfisch (born January 23, 1900 – died March 12, 1975) was a talented Australian painter. She was born in Sydney, a big city in Australia.

About Alison Rehfisch

Her Early Life

Alison Rehfisch was born as Alison Baily Green on January 23, 1900. Her birthplace was Woollahra, a suburb of Sydney. She grew up in Mosman, another Sydney suburb. Alison's mother was very artistic. She was a good sculptor, painter, and musician. Her mother really encouraged Alison's interest in drawing and painting.

From 1913 to 1915, Alison went to Redlands School in Cremorne. There, she was inspired by a painter named Albert Collins. After school, she studied art at the Julian Ashton Art School. In 1919, she got married. Around 1925, as Alison Rehfisch, she studied with Antonio Dattilo Rubbo at the Royal Art Society. This is where she met another artist, George Duncan. They soon started sharing a studio space to work on their art.

Her Art Career

Alison began showing her paintings at the Blaxland Gallery in 1929. Around this time, she and her husband separated. She moved into a studio apartment with other artists. These artists included Dorrit Black, Rah Fizelle, Thea Proctor, and Adelaide Perry.

In 1933, Alison traveled to London. She studied art, worked, and explored new places. She even spent three months in Spain. In 1938, she heard that her first husband had passed away. She then returned to Sydney. In 1942, she married George Duncan, the artist she had met earlier.

In 1947, a sad event happened: Alison and George's home burned down. Alison lost hundreds of her paintings in the fire. Their friends helped them by organizing an auction to support them. Alison and George then moved to the countryside. They painted many landscapes around areas like Berrima, Moss Vale, and Goulburn.

In 1953, they moved back to Sydney. George got a job as the director of the David Jones Art Gallery. They bought a house called "Hillgrove" in Pymble. Alison spent a lot of time decorating their new home. She was also active in art groups like the Contemporary Art Society and the Contemporary Group. She continued to paint still lifes and landscapes. Later, she focused more on painting flowers.

Where Her Art Is Kept

You can find Alison Rehfisch's artworks in several important places. These include:

• The National Gallery of Australia (which has two of her prints)
• The Cruthers Collection of Women's Art at the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery at UWA
• The Art Gallery of New South Wales (which has many of her pieces)

Art Shows and Exhibitions

Alison Rehfisch held her own art shows at:

• Blaxland Gallery in 1933
• Macquarie Galleries in 1933, 1939, 1946, 1949, and 1958

After Alison passed away, a special exhibition was held in 1976. It showed the artworks of both Alison and George Duncan together at Macquarie Galleries.

Awards She Won

• 1929: She won the Royal Art Society Prize for Still Life painting.