Robert Dickerson facts for kids

Robert Henry Dickerson AO (born March 30, 1924 – died October 18, 2015) was a famous Australian painter. He was known for painting people and real-life scenes. Robert Dickerson was also part of a special group of artists called the Antipodeans. He is seen as one of Australia's most important artists. Other influential artists from his time include Ray Crooke, Charles Blackman, Laurence Hope, Margaret Olley and Inge King.

Becoming a Professional Artist

Robert Dickerson taught himself how to paint. He never went to art school. His paintings often look sharp and have strong differences between light and dark areas. This style is called chiaroscuro. He used many materials, like paint, pastels, and charcoal.

His art was inspired by everyday life. He often showed feelings like loneliness and being alone. His paintings often featured single characters with long noses and eyes that looked away. He once said that he always used the same style and didn't plan to change it.

In 1954, the National Gallery of Victoria bought his painting Man Asleep On The Steps. This was a big moment for him as a professional artist. In 1959, he joined other artists like Charles Blackman and Arthur Boyd. They formed a group called the Antipodeans. This group wanted to show that painting real things was important. They were against art that was only abstract shapes and colors.

His Early Life and Challenges

Robert Dickerson was born in 1924 in Sydney, Australia. He grew up during the 1930s, a time known as the Great Depression. Many people had very little money back then. By the time he was 14, he was working in a factory. He also trained as a boxer. He even toured with a boxing group for four years. He said boxing was just a way to earn money. He could earn more from winning a fight than from his factory job.

Dickerson started drawing when he was five years old. He mostly drew airplanes and warships. Later, he began drawing people he saw in the streets. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force as a guard. He kept sketching in his free time. He was inspired by a book called The Moon and Sixpence. He spent time painting children on an island using tent canvas and camouflage paint.

After returning to Australia, he continued to live in poverty. By age 30, he was married with three young children. He worked hard shoveling coal to support his family. He would paint on weekends. Later, his family lived in a caravan. He still found time to paint. By the end of the 1950s, people started to notice his artwork.

He became a full-time artist when he was 35. This happened after he won £100 in a fridge decorating competition in 1957. This was a lot of money back then! The prize allowed him to buy more art supplies. Until then, he had used whatever materials he could find.

In the mid-1960s, Dickerson got married again and had two more children. He continued to paint a lot. He moved to Brisbane and showed his art there. He also traveled and had exhibitions, even in London. He then returned to Sydney and finally settled in Nowra, New South Wales.

In 2013, he received an AO award. This award recognized his amazing contributions to art. It also honored his community service, as he supported many charities.

He painted full-time and also bred race horses. He lived with his third wife, Jennifer, who also managed his art business. His love for horses was recognized when he became an artist-in-residence at the Moonee Valley Racing Club in 2001–02. He had several children and stepchildren, 17 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Robert Dickerson passed away from cancer on October 18, 2015.