Maude Edith Victoria Fleay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maude Edith Victoria Fleay
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| Born | 1869 Sulky Gully, Victoria, Australia
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| Died | 18 May 1965 (aged 95–96) Colac, Victoria, Australia
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Education | National Gallery Art School |
| Known for | Painting |
| Spouse(s) |
William Henry Fleay
(m. 1905) |
Maude Edith Victoria Glover Fleay (1869–1965) was a talented Australian artist. She was one of the first artists in Australia to focus on painting wildlife. Maude was especially famous for her detailed paintings of Australian marsupials.
Contents
Maude's Life and Art
Early Life and Art Training
Maude Fleay was born in 1869 in Sulky Gully, Australia. She loved art from a young age. Maude studied drawing at the School of Mines in Ballarat. There, she learned from an artist named David Davies. She also studied at the National Gallery School in Melbourne. Her teacher there was the well-known artist Frederick McCubbin.
Maude's aunt, Elizabeth Glover, owned a place called "Gracedale Hotel." Maude painted a picture of "Gracedale." This painting later hung in her aunt's home.
Exhibitions and Recognition
Maude Fleay showed her artwork in many places. She exhibited with the Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors. She was also a member of the Victorian Artists Society. In 1938, she displayed her art at the Athenaeum Gallery. She showed her work alongside fellow women artists Annie Gates and Henrietta Maria Gulliver.
In 1945, Maude's art was shown at the Leighton Galleries. People praised her work for its "strength and confidence." Famous artist Arthur Streeton said her paintings showed "great sympathy with and knowledge of the animals." This means she truly understood the animals she painted.
Besides painting, Maude was also a writer and a music teacher. She was even the art director for the Daylesford School of Mines.
Family Life and Legacy
In 1905, Maude married William Henry Fleay. They had three children together. One of their children, David Fleay, became a famous naturalist. A naturalist is someone who studies nature and animals.
Maude and David worked together on a book. It was called Gliders of the Gumtrees. Maude drew all the pictures for the book. She passed away on May 18, 1965, in Colac.
Maude Fleay's Lasting Impact
Maude Fleay made a big difference in Australian art and natural history. To honor her, the Maude Glover Fleay Award was created. This award is given by the Victorian College of the Arts.
Maude also gave money to the Art Gallery of Ballarat. This money helps the gallery buy art made by other female artists. Some of her own paintings are in the gallery's collection. These include "Gum trees," "End of day," and "Consider the lilies." In 2018, an exhibition called The Fabulous Maude showed her amazing work. It was held at The Lost Ones Contemporary Art Gallery in Ballarat.
