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- October 2006 -

Newsletter for Offshore Residents of Pittwater, Australia  Volume 9, Issue 188 October 2006     

 
Tragic Newport Fire - Saturday Night


Acclaimed master print maker loses 25 years of retrospective work ― a tragic loss to Australian art history


29 October 2006: Acclaimed master printmaker Paul Smith has tragically lost a life’s worth of master prints as a result of a fire at Newport Artworks Gallery last night.


Mr Smith’s works were held in storage at the gallery in preparation for a retrospective exhibition of 25 years worth of work of limited edition prints representing the works of renowned Australian artists including Arthur Boyd, Charles Blackman, Tim Storrier, David Boyd, Sali Herman, Ray Crooke, Euan Macleod and Salvatore Zofrea.


Mr Smith has called on art collectors who have holdings of his limited edition prints to consider loaning these masterprints so that he is able to still hold the retrospective to be held at Tarrangaua, Lovett Bay (Dorothea Mackellar’s house) on Saturday 18 November 2006 to be open by Euan Macleod.


Over 38 masterprints have been lost of iconic Australian artists from Arthur Boyd to Tim Storrier with that particular collection worth over $1/2 million.


According to Mr Smith this is the last chance for Australian’s to buy their own, affordable artwork from well-known Australian artists.


The master prints have proven to be valuable items for purchase by connoisseurs of fine art, with many prints appreciating considerably over time.


“The loss is an absolute tragedy as Paul’s retrospective would have been the only collection of its kinds of Australian art history. It’s a terrible personal loss for Paul, but also a significant loss in terms of Australian art history,” said personal friend Susan Duncan.


Newport Artworks Gallery was currently holding an exhibition of Pittwater artists including Blake Prize nominees Dimitri Lihachov and Tracy Smith, Claire Atkins as well as sculptors Eamon Hamilton, a former exhibitor at Sculpture by the Sea, and Michael Kitching.