Lesbia Thorpe facts for kids

Lesbia Thorpe (1919–2009) was a talented Australian artist. She was also known by her private name, Lee Baldwin. Thorpe was especially famous for her amazing printmaking skills. Printmaking is a way of making art by creating images on a surface, then transferring them to paper.

Early Life and Art Training

Lesbia Thorpe started her art journey at a young age. From 1931 to 1937, she studied art with a teacher named Antonio Dattilo Rubbo. He helped her learn many important art techniques.

In 1937, she was chosen to join the Painter-Etchers Society. This was a special group for artists who made prints. Later, in 1943, she also became a member of the Royal Art Society. These memberships showed how skilled she was.

Working in Radio and Theatre

Lesbia Thorpe had many different talents. She worked for the ABC, which is a big Australian broadcasting company. There, she was known as Lee Thorpe. In the 1950s, she was a freelance interviewer and host for the ABC's "Women’s Session" radio show.

She also traveled to Malta in 1955. While there, she performed a radio show for the BBC, a famous British broadcasting company. Thorpe was also very interested in theatre. She performed for a few years with Doris Fitton at the Independent Theatre in Sydney.

Besides acting, Thorpe also designed things for the stage. From 1941, she created large paintings called murals and theatre sets for the Independent Theatre. In 1944, she worked with William Constable on sets for the Theatre Royal. She also made murals for the Stage Door Canteen in Sydney.

Learning Printmaking in London

In 1953, Lesbia Thorpe traveled to London, England. She wanted to learn more about printmaking. She studied with a famous artist named Gertrude Hermes at the Central School of Art and Design.

Her hard work paid off. In 1954, she became an associate member of the Society of Wood Engravers of Great Britain. This was a big achievement for a printmaker. Later, in 1960, she visited London again. During this trip, she was elected a member of the Royal Graphic Art Society.

Olympic Art and Awards

Lesbia Thorpe's art was even shown at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. She exhibited her work in the Olympic Fine Arts Exhibition. Her lino-cut print, called Emu Chicks, was featured in the Drawings and Prints category. A lino-cut is a type of print made by carving a design into linoleum. The Art Gallery of Western Australia bought Emu Chicks in the same year.

Throughout her long life, Thorpe continued to create art. She illustrated books, like "People of the Dreamtime" and "The Cruise of the Roebuck". She also kept making theatre sets. She was still holding art exhibitions in 1994, showing her dedication to art.

Thorpe won the Maud Vizard Wholoham Print Prize twice, in 1958 and 1964. This award recognized her excellent printmaking skills. She was also a finalist in the 1938 Archibald Prize, which is a very important art award in Australia. She entered two portraits: Mrs Havelock Southwick and Miss Rose Broit.

Where to See Her Art

Lesbia Thorpe's artworks are kept in many important art collections. These include:

• The National Gallery of Australia (which has 131 of her works!)
• The Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery at the University of Western Australia
• The National Gallery of Victoria (which has 7 of her works)
• The John Passmore Museum of Art (part of the Wrobel Art Collection)