Monday 28 March 2022

Elioth Gruner, Michelago Valley c.1922, oil on canvas. 91 x 136 cm. National Art School Collection, Gift of the Gruner estate, c.1939. When he died in 1939 at the age of 57, Elioth Gruner (b. 1882, Gisborne, NZ) left two large paintings of the Michelago Valley unfinished.  Although the Gruner Estate donated them soon afterwards to the National Art School as teaching aids unfortunately it se…

Tuesday 15 March 2022

NAS alum Lucy Vader, a flood devastated artist from Lismore has opened a ‘La Nina’ themed exhibition in the NSW Southern Highlands, showcasing the only items she has left to her name, after becoming a victim of the exact weather system she spent months painting. Lucy lost everything – except her artwork and dog – in the worst floods to hit Lismore in history. “I feel like the weather has mocked…

Tuesday 15 March 2022

Article by Lauren Ironmonger Peter Jia, 62, owned the EzyMart convenience store in Darlinghurst for three years and came to art late in life. He started painting during the pandemic, initially to help his son with school art projects. NAS Alumnus Brodie Cullen struck up a rapport with Jia and helped organise a series of art shows at the convenience store. Three shows were held within the walls …

Wednesday 09 March 2022

National Art School in the NSW Landscape is a new exhibition at NSW Parliament House from 9 – 31 March 2022. It explores the relationship between people, land and culture across the state through artworks by 21 significant Australian artists who studied at the National Art School (NAS), which this year celebrates 100 years since moving into the former Darlinghurst Gaol site in inner-city Sydney. …

Sunday 27 February 2022

Exactly 100 years ago on 27 February 1922 the first art classes were held on site as the art department of East Sydney Technical College (ESTC), from which the National Art School was formed. Tomorrow [Monday 28 February 2022] we welcome our students as they return to campus for 2022! Image: East Sydney Technical College. Photo by Arthur G. Foster, March 1922