Rod Milgate facts for kids

Rodney Armour Milgate (born June 30, 1934 – died September 19, 2014) was a talented Australian painter and writer. He was also a professor at the Visual Arts School of the University of NSW and even a newsreader for Channel 7.

About Rodney Milgate

Rodney Armour Milgate was born in Kyogle, New South Wales, on June 30, 1934.

Many people thought Milgate was one of Australia's most important artists, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. His artworks are kept in big collections all over the world. He had many art shows by himself and won lots of awards. He even won the Blake Prize for Religious Art three times!

Rodney Milgate also wrote plays. His play, A Refined Look at Existence, was first shown in 1968. People said it was a funny and serious play that changed an old Greek story by Euripides called The Bacchae. Milgate's play was set in a country town in New South Wales. It was seen as a brave play that showed the strong feelings of the 1960s.

In 1960, he married the Australian actress Dinah Shearing. They had two sons together. Rodney Milgate later moved to the Central Coast, which is north of Sydney. He passed away there on September 19, 2014.

His Work and Achievements

Awards He Won

Rodney Milgate received many awards for his art and writing:

• 1964 John Fairfax Human Image Prize
• 1966 Blake Prize for Religious Art
• 1968 Harkness Fellowship (a special award to study in New York for two years)
• 1970 D' Arcy Morris Memorial Prize
• 1972 Gold Coast Purchase Prize (he shared this award)
• 1975 Blake Prize for Religious Art
• 1977 Blake Prize for Religious Art (he shared this with John Coburn)
• 1978 He spent six months living and working in Vence, France, and then another six months in Paris, France.
• 1986 Gosford City Art Award – New World
• 1987 Sydney Morning Herald Heritage Art Award
• 1991 Mosman Art Award
• 1993 Outstanding Achievement in Poetry (Editor's Choice) from the National Library of Poetry, USA
• 1993 He received a research grant from the University of New South Wales.
• 1995 Positive Images Prize for his poem 'Incident at Avalon Beach'.
• 1996 He spent three months living and working at the University of NSW Studio in Paris, France.

Plays and Books He Created

Rodney Milgate wrote many plays and books:

• 1966 A Refined Look at Existence (a three-act play) was performed in Sydney.
• 1966 He wrote a book called Art composition: a contemporary view.
• 1968 At Least You Get Something Out of That, a play he was asked to write.
• 1977 Grass Up to Your Ears and Buckets with Holes in Them (two plays).
• 1978 Incident at Novala Beach (a novel).
• 1979 A Golden Pathway Through Europe (a play chosen for a special workshop).
• 1979 Triage or the Fortunates (a play). Some of his writings were also broadcast on ABC National Radio.
• 1979 He published a book of poetry called Pictures at an exhibition.
• 1980 A Golden Pathway Through Europe was performed in Sydney.
• 1980 Favourites (a play).
• 1981 Intruders and Destiny's Mill (two plays).
• 1982 He wrote a film script called The Story of Larry Foley.
• 1983 His work was featured in an ABC TV show about Australian artists.
• 1984 Triage or the Fortunates was made into a radio play for ABC Radio.
• 1984 He wrote a play called Archibald Prize.
• 1985 Anniversary Waltz (a play).
• 1991 A workshop reading of Anniversary Waltz was held.
• 1991-92 His major oil paintings, Fourteen Stations of the Cross, toured art galleries. These paintings were shown with poems read by Dinah Shearing and Ron Haddrick.
• 1993 His novel Incident at Novala Beach was published.
• 1993 He contributed to a poetry book called The coming of dawn.
• 1993 One of his poems was selected and recorded for a cassette by the National Library of Poetry.
• 1996 His play Archibald Prize was performed at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Acting Roles

Rodney Milgate also acted in a TV movie:

• The Slaughter of St Teresa's Day (1960)