Grace Crowley facts for kids

Grace Adela Williams Crowley (say it like "slowly") was an important Australian artist. She was born on May 28, 1890, and passed away on April 21, 1979. Grace was known for her modern style of painting, which was quite new and exciting for her time.

Grace Crowley's Early Life and Learning

Grace Crowley was born in May 1890 in a place called Barraba, New South Wales. She was the fourth child of Henry, who was a farmer, and Elizabeth. Around 1900, her family moved to a farm called Glen Riddle.

Grace loved to draw everything around her. She drew people, cats, dogs, kookaburras, and even her dad's big bullock. When she was about 13, her parents sent one of her drawings to New Idea magazine. Guess what? She won a prize!

At first, Grace learned from a private teacher at home. Later, she and her sister went to a boarding school in Sydney. Her uncle thought she had a special talent. He insisted she take art classes with Julian Ashton at The Sydney Art School. This was her first real art lesson.

After returning to the farm, Grace felt her art dreams were fading. She had many chores at home. But in 1909, Julian Ashton visited her farm. He encouraged her to keep creating art.

In 1915, Grace became a full-time art student. From 1918 to 1923, she even worked as Ashton's helper. She studied with many other artists like Ralph Balson and Dorrit Black.

In 1925, Grace moved to France with her friend, artist Anne Dangar. She studied at the Académie Colarossi. She also took private lessons with a portrait painter named Louis Roger. From 1927 to 1929, she learned from André Lhote. She traveled around Europe and studied with other famous artists like Amédée Ozenfant and Albert Gleizes. Grace came back to Sydney in 1930.

Her Artistic Journey and Career

When Grace Crowley returned to Australia, she was one of the most experienced "Modernist" artists. She had a deep understanding of Cubism, a style where artists break objects into geometric shapes.

In 1932, she taught briefly at the Black Modern Art Centre. After it closed, she started her own school with Rah Fizelle. This school was called the Important Centre for Modern Art. It was open for five years.

After some disagreements, the school closed in 1937. Grace then set up her own art studio. In 1937, Grace Crowley, Ralph Balson, and other artists planned a big group art show. This show, called Exhibition 1: paintings and sculptures, opened in August 1939.

In the early 1940s, Grace was one of the first Australian artists to create "pure abstraction." This means her art didn't show real objects. It was all about shapes, colors, and lines.

Grace Crowley, along with artists like Rah Fizelle and Frank Hinder, led the second wave of modern art in Australia. They built on ideas from earlier artists like Roland Wakelin.

In 1949, Grace taught a short course on abstract art at East Sydney Technical College.

The 1950s were a very busy time for Grace. She showed her art often with groups like the Society of Artists. She also took part in many group exhibitions.

In 1954, Grace bought a house in Mittagong. She still kept her studio in Sydney. Between 1955 and 1959, she painted less. Her style changed from geometric shapes to more flowing brushstrokes.

In 1960, Grace and Ralph Balson traveled to art galleries in England, France, and America. This trip changed their art style again. In places like Devon, they started pouring paint onto their canvases, similar to how Jackson Pollock painted.

Ralph Balson passed away in August 1964. After this, Grace Crowley stopped creating art. She stayed at her Mittagong home for a while. Later, she bought an apartment in Manly.

In 1966, the Art Gallery of New South Wales held an exhibition. It honored artists who started the modern abstract movement. Grace Crowley and her friends Balson and Fizelle were part of it.

Just before her 85th birthday in 1975, the Art Gallery of New South Wales held a special show just for Grace. It was her first "retrospective," meaning it showed art from her whole career. The show included 25 paintings and 12 drawings. Experts said her journey from traditional landscapes to modern abstract art was amazing.

In January 1976, Grace Crowley was given a special award. She was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her great contributions to art.

The National Gallery of Australia also had a solo exhibition of her work. It was called Grace Crowley - Being Modern and ran from December 2006 to May 2007. Her art can be seen in major galleries like the Australian National Gallery and the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Her Final Years

Grace Crowley passed away at her home in Manly, New South Wales on April 21, 1979. She was 89 years old. She left behind a small collection of artworks. Three of her pieces are kept permanently in the Cruther's Collection of Women's Art at the University of Western Australia.

Selected Exhibitions

Here are some of the important art shows where Grace Crowley's work was displayed:

• 1930 A Group of Seven, with Dorrit Black and others, Macquarie Galleries, March.
• 1932 Solo Exhibition, Modern Art Centre, Sydney, June.
• 1939 Exhibition I: Paintings and Sculptures. David Jones' Art Gallery, Sydney, August.
• 1966 Balson Crowley Fizelle Hinder. Art Gallery of New South Wales, May.
• 1975 Australian Women Artists, One Hundred Years: 1840 - 1940. Ewing and George Paton Galleries, Melbourne, September. Art Gallery of New South Wales, October. National Gallery of Victoria, January.