Elaine Coghlan facts for kids

Elaine E. Coghlan (1897–1989) was a talented Australian artist. She lived in Sydney and was a painter, printmaker, and art teacher. Elaine was known for her beautiful landscape paintings. She was active mainly in the 1920s and 1930s.

Elaine Coghlan's Early Life and Training

Elaine Coghlan was born in 1897 in Ashfield, Sydney. She was one of five children.

She studied art at the Royal Art Society of New South Wales School. This was from 1918 onwards. Her teachers included Dattilo Rubbo and James R. Jackson. Rubbo was very good at painting people and scenes. His style greatly influenced Elaine's art.

Elaine won many awards as a student. She received scholarships for drawing and painting. She even won three painting scholarships in a row! This was quite impressive.

Elaine Coghlan's Art Career

Elaine Coghlan started showing her art in the 1920s. She exhibited often in Sydney art societies. These included the Royal Art Society of New South Wales and the Society of Artists (Australia). She also showed her work with the Australian Watercolour Institute.

The Society of Women Painters was very important to her. Elaine was a young committee member there. She helped set up art shows. She also met other artists, like Frankie Payne. Elaine and Frankie even held their own art show in 1930. Frankie Payne was a very successful woman artist. She helped connect many women artists.

Elaine was a finalist for important art prizes. She was nominated for the Archibald Prize several times. This was between 1929 and 1941. She was also nominated for the Wynne Prize. This happened in the 1940s. These prizes are held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

What Elaine Coghlan Painted

Elaine first focused on painting people. She was very good at portraits. In the 1930s, she also designed bookplates. These are special designs for the inside of books. Her bookplate designs had a decorative, flowing style.

Many of her paintings show scenes from Sydney's North Shore. This is where she lived for many years. But she also painted in other parts of New South Wales. She even traveled to other states to paint. Elaine also taught art in Sydney schools. She taught throughout the 1930s and 1940s.

Later Years and Legacy

After working as an artist for over 30 years, Elaine became less active. Many art societies in Sydney closed or slowed down. This happened from the late 1950s onwards.

Elaine Coghlan passed away in 1989. After her death, an exhibition of her art was held. This show displayed works from her whole career. Many of her paintings are now in private collections. Her work is also held in several public collections. These include the State Library of New South Wales.

In 1936, a newspaper critic wrote about her art. They said her paintings "Evening Shadows" and "Afternoon Light, Narrabeen Lake" were among her best. The critic also praised her watercolors. They noted her "gracious, spontaneous style."