Betty Churcher facts for kids

Elizabeth Ann Dewar Churcher (born Cameron; 11 January 1931 – 31 March 2015) was an important Australian art expert. She is most famous for being the director of the National Gallery of Australia from 1990 to 1997. Before that, she was also a talented painter.

Early Life and Learning

Elizabeth Cameron was born in Brisbane on 11 January 1931. From age 7 to 15, she went to Somerville House school. Her grandmother paid for her schooling. There, she learned art from a teacher named Patricia Prentice. She left school after Year 10. Her father thought she did not need more education.

In 1942, when she was 11, Churcher saw a painting called Evicted by Blandford Fletcher. She saw it at the Queensland Art Gallery. This painting made her want to become an artist. After leaving school, she studied art with Caroline Barker.

Churcher won a special scholarship to travel to Europe. She studied at the Royal College of Art in London. Later, in 1977, she earned a Master of Arts degree. This was from the Courtauld Institute of Art at the University of London.

Her Career in Art

Betty Churcher was an art critic for The Australian newspaper. This was between 1972 and 1975.

In 1982, she became the Dean of the School of Art and Design. She also taught Art History at the Phillip Institute of Technology. This school is now part of RMIT University. She worked there until 1987.

After that, she became the director of the Art Gallery of Western Australia. She left this job in 1990.

Leading the National Gallery

In 1990, Betty Churcher became the director of the Australian National Gallery. This is now known as the National Gallery of Australia. She was the first woman to hold this important position.

While she was director, people called her "Betty Blockbuster." This was because she loved to put on very big art exhibitions. She also loved movies. Churcher started building new galleries on the eastern side of the museum. These new spaces opened in 1998. They were made to hold large temporary art shows.

She also changed the name of the gallery. It went from the Australian National Gallery to its current name. During her time, the museum bought a famous painting. It was Golden Summer, Eaglemont by Arthur Streeton. It cost $3.5 million. This was a very important painting from the Heidelberg School.

Churcher also hosted TV shows in the 1990s. She wrote several books about art. One book was called The Art of War. It was about artists who painted during wars. She also had a TV show called Hidden Treasures. On this show, she showed artworks from the National Gallery that were not often seen.

Awards and Recognition

In 1996, Betty Churcher's son, Peter Churcher, painted her portrait. The painting was called Betty at Home. It was a finalist in the Archibald Prize. This prize is for the best portrait of a famous person in art, writing, science, or politics. Another artist, Davida Allen, also painted her in 1990. That painting was called Hey Betty.

In 2001, Churcher was added to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women. This list celebrates important women from Victoria, Australia.

Later Life and Family

Betty Churcher was married to Roy Churcher (1933–2014). They had four sons and seven grandchildren. One of her sons, Peter Churcher, is also a well-known artist.

Betty Churcher passed away from cancer on 31 March 2015. She was 84 years old. After her death, many people said she was a very important person in the art world. They said she was a great leader and helped many Australians learn about art.

The National Gallery of Australia started the Betty Churcher Memorial Oration in 2022. This is a special speech given each year to remember her.

See also

• Women in the art history field