Deborah Halpern
Encyclopedia
Deborah Halpern is an artist working in Victoria
Australia
, notable for her prominent and popular works of public art
. Halpern is a sculptor, mosaic
artist and ceramic art
ist
Inspired by the free spirit of Pablo Picasso
Deborah's famous works include the surreal sculpture such as Angel which was once featured in the moat of the National Gallery of Victoria
(but since relocated to Birrarung Marr) and Ophelia which stands outside the Southgate complex at Southbank, Victoria
(named the official face of Melbourne
by Tourism Victoria in 1996).
Halpern grew up in the world of ceramics
, as her parents were ceramists and artists. She began work in ceramics as an apprentice in 1971. She went on to study painting at the Caulfield Institute of Technology in 1979. In 1981, she started to exhibit her work at the annual Victorian Ceramic Show and the Blackwood Street Gallery. The next year, Deborah worked as an artist in residence at the Croydon Community Centre. During this time, her work was selected to be shown in the Melbourne Meat Market Craft Centre and the Potters Gallery in Sydney
.
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, notable for her prominent and popular works of public art
Public art
The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all...
. Halpern is a sculptor, mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
artist and ceramic art
Ceramic art
In art history, ceramics and ceramic art mean art objects such as figures, tiles, and tableware made from clay and other raw materials by the process of pottery. Some ceramic products are regarded as fine art, while others are regarded as decorative, industrial or applied art objects, or as...
ist
Inspired by the free spirit of Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
Deborah's famous works include the surreal sculpture such as Angel which was once featured in the moat of the 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...
(but since relocated to Birrarung Marr) and Ophelia which stands outside the Southgate complex at Southbank, Victoria
Southbank, Victoria
Southbank is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia located direct south of the Yarra River opposite Melbourne's Hoddle Grid. The northernmost area is considered part of the Central Business District and Central Activities District of the city. Its Local Government Area are the...
(named the official face of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
by Tourism Victoria in 1996).
Halpern grew up in the world of ceramics
Ceramic art
In art history, ceramics and ceramic art mean art objects such as figures, tiles, and tableware made from clay and other raw materials by the process of pottery. Some ceramic products are regarded as fine art, while others are regarded as decorative, industrial or applied art objects, or as...
, as her parents were ceramists and artists. She began work in ceramics as an apprentice in 1971. She went on to study painting at the Caulfield Institute of Technology in 1979. In 1981, she started to exhibit her work at the annual Victorian Ceramic Show and the Blackwood Street Gallery. The next year, Deborah worked as an artist in residence at the Croydon Community Centre. During this time, her work was selected to be shown in the Melbourne Meat Market Craft Centre and the Potters Gallery 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...
.
Notable works
- 1987-89 "Angel" (Bicentennial Sculpture) at Birrarung Marr (since 2006) formerly National Gallery of VictoriaNational Gallery of VictoriaThe 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...
moat (1987-2002) - 1987 Fitzroy Nursery, iron entrance gates, Brunswick StreetBrunswick Street, MelbourneBrunswick Street is a street in inner northern Melbourne, known for cafés, live music venues and alternative fashion shops.-Geography:Brunswick Street runs north-south through the inner northern Melbourne suburbs of Fitzroy and Fitzroy North, from Victoria Parade at its southernmost end, crossing...
, FitzroyFitzroy, VictoriaFitzroy is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra. Its borders are Alexandra Parade , Victoria Parade , Smith Street and Nicholson Street. Fitzroy is Melbourne's... - 1989 Margaret Murphy Memorial Mural, Shepparton, Victoria
- 1992 "Ophelia" at Southgate Complex, SouthbankSouthbank, VictoriaSouthbank is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia located direct south of the Yarra River opposite Melbourne's Hoddle Grid. The northernmost area is considered part of the Central Business District and Central Activities District of the city. Its Local Government Area are the...
- 2001 "The Spirit of Enquiry" at Australian National UniversityAustralian National UniversityThe Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
campus, CanberraCanberraCanberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne... - 2001 "The Spirit of Nilum bik" at ElthamEltham, VictoriaEltham is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 20 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Nillumbik. At the 2006 Census, Eltham had a population of 17,581....
Town Square Shire of NillumbikShire of NillumbikThe Shire of Nillumbik is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It contains some outer northern suburbs of Melbourne and rural localities beyond the urban area. It has an area of 435 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 62,837 people... - 2002 "Power of Community" in Beauty Park Frankston South, VictoriaFrankston South, VictoriaFrankston South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 43 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Frankston...
- 2005 "Portal to Another Time & Place" at Werribee ParkWerribee ParkWerribee Park is the estate of a historical building in Werribee, Victoria, Australia. It includes Werribee Park Mansion, the Victoria State Rose Garden, formal gardens, the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre, the Werribee Open Range Zoo, a contemporary sculpture walk and a natural riverine...
- 2009 "Beautiful Angel" at Urquhart Primary, NewingtonNewington, VictoriaNewington is a suburb south west of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. The population at the 2006 census was 1,747.Newington is bordered by Gillies Street to the West, Sturt Street to the North, Pleasant Street to the East and Winter Street to the South...
External links
- "Deborah Halpern: At her home in the leafy town of Warrandyte, this artist creates fanciful beasts inspired by Picasso.", Ninemsn.com.au
- Wall of fame for football legends, Theage.com.au
- Artwork at Chrysalis Publishing, Chrysalis.com.au