Geoffrey de Groen
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey de Groen is an Australian artist known for his abstract works in oil and acrylics. De Groen's paintings are included in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia
, National Gallery of Victoria
, Art Gallery of New South Wales
and the Queensland Art Gallery
.
, Queensland
, his father's Dutch antecedents having emigrated to Australia in 1858. He grew up in Sydney
and studied at the Julian Ashton Art School and the North Sydney Technical College, completing his studies at the East Sydney Technical College (now the National Art School
) in 1965, under the mentorship of painter and critic Wallace Thornton. In the mid-sixties Geoffrey de Groen married playwright Alma de Groen. They separated about ten years later, and have a daughter, film scholar Nadine de Groen.
, in the late 1960s de Groen left Australia to travel abroad, teaching and exhibiting in England, France, and Canada from 1968 until 1973. On his return to Australia, de Groen's work became widely exhibited. During this period he also lectured in fine art and wrote on art for publications such as the Canberra Times and Art International. A series of recorded interviews which de Groen did with 26 prominent Australian artists is held in the oral history collection of The National Library of Australia
in Canberra. These interviews were the basis of de Groen's 1975 book Conversations with Australian Artists, published by Quartet Books. De Groen is also the author of Some other dream: the artist, the artwork, & the expatriate, published by Hale and Iremonger. In 1985 Geoffrey de Groen left the National Art School/East Sydney Technical College, where he had been teaching, to paint full time.
From 2002 to 2007 de Groen was represented by the Boutwell Draper Gallery in Sydney.
In 2003, the New England Regional Art Museum curated an exhibition of de Groen's paintings held in their permanent collection. In 2009 the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery featured an exhibition of a decade of works by de Groen, entitled "Made in Taralga". De Groen continues to live and paint in Taralga. He has just completed his 66th solo exhibition. In July 2011, the Australian National University Drill Hall Gallery will host a survey exhibition of Geoffrey de Groen's paintings curated by Wally Caruana.
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art gallery of Australia, holding more than 120,000 works of art. It was established in 1967 by the Australian government as a national public art gallery.- Establishment :...
, National Gallery of Victoria
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites...
, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery of New South Wales
The Art Gallery of New South Wales , located in The Domain in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, was established in 1897 and is the most important public gallery in Sydney and the fourth largest in Australia...
and the Queensland Art Gallery
Queensland Art Gallery
The Queensland Art Gallery is part of the Queensland Cultural Centre, and is located nearest to Brisbane River at South Bank...
.
Family life and education
Geoffrey de Groen was born in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, his father's Dutch antecedents having emigrated to Australia in 1858. He grew up in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and studied at the Julian Ashton Art School and the North Sydney Technical College, completing his studies at the East Sydney Technical College (now the National Art School
National Art School
The National Art School is an art school in Sydney, Australia. It is a Public Company Limited by Guarantee with a board of directors. It has Institutional Registration and Course Accreditation supported by the DET Higher Education Directorate....
) in 1965, under the mentorship of painter and critic Wallace Thornton. In the mid-sixties Geoffrey de Groen married playwright Alma de Groen. They separated about ten years later, and have a daughter, film scholar Nadine de Groen.
Professional career
At the behest of British architect John PawsonJohn Pawson
John Pawson is a British designer associated with the minimalist aesthetic.-Biography:Pawson studied at Eton College and the Architectural Association School of Architecture and is married to Catherine and has two children, Caius and Benedict.-Selected projects:London's Cannelle Cake Shop, several...
, in the late 1960s de Groen left Australia to travel abroad, teaching and exhibiting in England, France, and Canada from 1968 until 1973. On his return to Australia, de Groen's work became widely exhibited. During this period he also lectured in fine art and wrote on art for publications such as the Canberra Times and Art International. A series of recorded interviews which de Groen did with 26 prominent Australian artists is held in the oral history collection of The National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
in Canberra. These interviews were the basis of de Groen's 1975 book Conversations with Australian Artists, published by Quartet Books. De Groen is also the author of Some other dream: the artist, the artwork, & the expatriate, published by Hale and Iremonger. In 1985 Geoffrey de Groen left the National Art School/East Sydney Technical College, where he had been teaching, to paint full time.
The Taralga period
In 1992 de Groen moved to the New South Wales regional town of Taralga, where he established a large gallery and working space in refurbished outbuildings near his home. De Groen’s 1999 exhibition at the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery featured works from his time in Taralga. In 2000 de Groen was the recipient of the Hesketh and New England Regional Art Museum Overseas Fellowship award.From 2002 to 2007 de Groen was represented by the Boutwell Draper Gallery in Sydney.
In 2003, the New England Regional Art Museum curated an exhibition of de Groen's paintings held in their permanent collection. In 2009 the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery featured an exhibition of a decade of works by de Groen, entitled "Made in Taralga". De Groen continues to live and paint in Taralga. He has just completed his 66th solo exhibition. In July 2011, the Australian National University Drill Hall Gallery will host a survey exhibition of Geoffrey de Groen's paintings curated by Wally Caruana.
External links
- http://www.boutwelldrapergallery.com.au/imagesart/De_Groen_Art.pdf Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning art critic Sebastian Smee details Geoffrey de Groen's artistic process in The AustralianThe AustralianThe Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly.... - http://www.highlifemag.com.au April/May 2009 Highlife Mag interview with Geoffrey de Groen at his Taralga studio.
- http://www.heisergallery.com.au/artists/degroen/index.html Heiser Gallery, Brisbane
- http://www.charlesnodrumgallery.com.au/exhibition.asp?id=1208476 Charles Nodrum Gallery, Melbourne
- http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/forget-me-not/story-e6frg8qx-1111115945640 The Australian 05-04-08: De Groen in article about best living Australian artists.