Cressida Campbell facts for kids

Cressida Rosemary Campbell AM (born 8 July 1960) is a famous Australian artist. She is known for her unique woodblock prints and paintings.

Early Life and Art School

Cressida Rosemary Campbell was born in Sydney, Australia, on 8 July 1960. Her parents were Ruth and Ross Campbell.

She loved art from a young age. In 1978, she started studying at the East Sydney Technical College. Her older sister is the actress Nell Campbell.

Becoming an Artist

Cressida Campbell had her first art show in Sydney in 1979. This was the start of her amazing career.

In 1985, she traveled to Tokyo, Japan. She spent several weeks at the Yoshida Hanga Academy. Here, she learned special ways to make art. She discovered how to guide the viewer's eye around a picture. This helped her make her artworks even more interesting.

Through the 1990s and 2000s, her art became very popular. She showed her work in many galleries. She even had exhibitions in London in 2001 and 2003.

A big exhibition of her work was held in Canberra. It was at the National Gallery of Australia. This show ran from September 2022 to February 2023. It was a huge success! It became the most visited exhibition by a living artist in Australian history.

How Cressida Campbell Makes Art

Cressida Campbell uses a very special art technique. It involves both carving and painting woodblocks. Here's how she does it:

• First, she draws an image onto a piece of wood.
• Then, she carefully carves the drawing into the wood.
• Next, she paints the carved woodblock. She uses up to three layers of paint.
• After painting, she wets the block. She then makes a single print from it onto paper.
• The woodblock is then repainted to fix any small details.
• Finally, she spends months hand-painting the print on paper. This makes it a complete artwork.

So, for each artwork, she actually creates two pieces! One is the painted woodblock, and the other is the print on paper.

Her art is full of bright colours and interesting designs. Her style is a bit like Japanese ukiyo-e prints. These are old Japanese woodblock prints. But Cressida's art also shows modern Australian life. She has been influenced by Japanese artists like Kitagawa Utamaro.

Cressida Campbell's unique woodblocks are very valuable. In 2022, one of her woodblocks sold for a record price. It was the highest price ever paid for a work by a living Australian woman artist.

She also uses a technique called 'white line' printmaking. This method was first used in 1913 in Massachusetts, USA. Many people say she follows in the footsteps of famous Australian artists like Margaret Preston and Thea Proctor. She even made a series of painted woodblocks to celebrate her friend, artist Margaret Olley.

Awards and Recognition

Cressida Campbell has received important awards for her art. In 2024, she was made a Member of the Order of Australia. This award is given for "significant service to the visual arts." It means she has made a very important contribution to art.

Two photos of Cressida Campbell are shown in the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. This shows how important she is in Australian art.

Personal Life

In 1991, Cressida Campbell married Peter Crayford. They decided not to have children. Since 2001, she has lived in the Sydney suburb of Bronte. She has her art studio in her home there. In April 2022, she married Warren Macris, who is also involved in fine art.

Selected Exhibitions

Cressida Campbell's art has been shown in many important exhibitions. Here are a few:

• Cressida Campbell, a big show of her work, was at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra (2022–2023).
• Timeless: The art of Cressida Campbell was at the National Trust S H Ervin Gallery in Sydney (2009).
• Cutting Through Time—Cressida Campbell, Margaret Preston, and the Japanese Print was at the Geelong Gallery (2024).

Art Collections

Cressida Campbell's artworks are held in major art collections. These include:

• Art Gallery of New South Wales
• National Gallery of Australia (NGA)

The director of the National Gallery of Australia, Nick Mitzevich, said in 2022 that Cressida Campbell is one of Australia's most collected artists. This means many people love to buy and own her unique artworks.

See Also

• Provincetown printmaking (also known as White Line printmaking)