Ian Armstrong (Australian artist)
Encyclopedia
Ian Armstrong was an Australian artist. He was a classical modernist painter and print maker.
suburb of Malvern
. He left school at the age of thirteen and started his working life as a grocer boy. Later, he joined his father at James Flood Motor Body Builders and worked as a blacksmith. In 1940, he enrolled at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology studying three nights a week and Saturday morning. By 1943 he had commenced evening classes at the National Gallery School which he continued until 1950. Looking for more rigorous tuition, he joined the George Bell
School, where he studied intermittently from 1945 to 1949.
Bell was a strong disciplinarian. Armstrong acknowledges that Bell taught him “everything that was worth anything”. To escape the rigorous discipline of Bell and the more conservative teachings of the Gallery school, Armstrong and fellow students [Fred Williams] and Harry Rosengrave purchased a block of land at Lilydale. The “Block” was a place away from the constraints of the city, where almost every weekend for the next five years was spent painting in the open air. Paintings from this period were exhibited at the Stanley Cove Gallery in 1951.
In 1960 Armstrong was appointed Drawing Master at the National Gallery School, teaching alongside John Brack
and Marc Clarke. Many of his Gallery students have developed notable careers of their own. In 1966 Armstrong resigned from the National Gallery School commencing a full time painting career which he continued for the rest of his life, supplemented with intermittent teaching at the C.A.E and private classes at his home studio in Blackburn.
in central Victoria for a year, to paint and recover his health. His landscapes and portraits from this time have been exhibited widely and are represented in many regional galleries and private collections. In 1974 a grant awarded by the Visual Arts Board, Australia Council
, led to a series of large portraits of family and friends. A trip to France and Spain in 1977 produced many prints and drawings.
At a show in Adelaide
, Ian met former Gallery School student Mark Pearce
. Their rekindled friendship led to a series of joint projects, including decorating pots, exploring sculpture and many painting trips including time in the Flinders Ranges
. During this time Armstrong developed a great love of the South Australian landscape.
The 1980s involved building a mud brick house near Maryborough
, central Victorian
landscape painting, and more overseas travel. A trip to England and France on an Australia Council grant in 1988 led to three months study and work in Paris, based at the Cite International des Arts.
In 1990, Armstrong sold the family home in Blackburn
, and he and Kath moved to Anglesea. The next ten years were spent painting the local land and seascapes, with trips further afield to Mark Pearce’s Bungala, South Australia studio. Landscape painting En plein air
was a passion that Armstrong followed for over 60 overs; during the 1990s he joined Rick Amor
and others to form the 500 Friday Group. In 1999 he completed a painting trip to Central Australia with John and Renee Dent.
Early life
Armstrong was born in the MelbourneMelbourne
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...
suburb of Malvern
Malvern, Victoria
Malvern is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Malvern had a population of 9,422.-History:...
. He left school at the age of thirteen and started his working life as a grocer boy. Later, he joined his father at James Flood Motor Body Builders and worked as a blacksmith. In 1940, he enrolled at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology studying three nights a week and Saturday morning. By 1943 he had commenced evening classes at the National Gallery School which he continued until 1950. Looking for more rigorous tuition, he joined the George Bell
George Bell (painter)
George Frederick Henry Bell was an Australian painter.He was born in Kew, Victoria, the son of George Bell, a public servant, and educated at Kew High School. He studied at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School from 1895-1903...
School, where he studied intermittently from 1945 to 1949.
Bell was a strong disciplinarian. Armstrong acknowledges that Bell taught him “everything that was worth anything”. To escape the rigorous discipline of Bell and the more conservative teachings of the Gallery school, Armstrong and fellow students [Fred Williams] and Harry Rosengrave purchased a block of land at Lilydale. The “Block” was a place away from the constraints of the city, where almost every weekend for the next five years was spent painting in the open air. Paintings from this period were exhibited at the Stanley Cove Gallery in 1951.
In education
In 1951, Armstrong won the Commonwealth Jubilee Travelling Scholarship to the Slade School in London. During his time at the Slade an introduction to printmaking led to classes in etching and lithography - media he has excelled in ever since. On the return journey to Australia he met Kath. They married in Melbourne in 1954.In 1960 Armstrong was appointed Drawing Master at the National Gallery School, teaching alongside John Brack
John Brack
John Brack was an Australian painter, and a member of the Antipodeans group.-Life:...
and Marc Clarke. Many of his Gallery students have developed notable careers of their own. In 1966 Armstrong resigned from the National Gallery School commencing a full time painting career which he continued for the rest of his life, supplemented with intermittent teaching at the C.A.E and private classes at his home studio in Blackburn.
Later life
In the early 1970s, after a heart attack and his first bout of major surgery, Armstrong and his family moved to WedderburnWedderburn, Victoria
Wedderburn is a rural town located in Victoria, Australia on the Calder Highway north of Victoria's capital city, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Wedderburn had a population of 704...
in central Victoria for a year, to paint and recover his health. His landscapes and portraits from this time have been exhibited widely and are represented in many regional galleries and private collections. In 1974 a grant awarded by the Visual Arts Board, Australia Council
Australia Council
The Australia Council, informally known as the Australia Council for the Arts, is the official arts council or arts funding body of the Government of Australia.-Function:...
, led to a series of large portraits of family and friends. A trip to France and Spain in 1977 produced many prints and drawings.
At a show in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Ian met former Gallery School student Mark Pearce
Mark Pearce
Mark Pearce is an English actor, born in Coventry in 1976.At the age of 12 Mark made his professional stage debut in ‘Cinderella’ at Belgrade TheatreCoventry, directed by Iain Lauchlan.He went onto to study English and Drama at University College of St...
. Their rekindled friendship led to a series of joint projects, including decorating pots, exploring sculpture and many painting trips including time in the Flinders Ranges
Flinders Ranges
Flinders Ranges is the largest mountain range in South Australia, which starts approximately north west of Adelaide. The discontinuous ranges stretch for over from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna...
. During this time Armstrong developed a great love of the South Australian landscape.
The 1980s involved building a mud brick house near Maryborough
Maryborough, Victoria
-Education:Maryborough has three schools:*Highview Christian Community College*Maryborough Education Centre Years Prep–12*St Augustine's Primary School Grades Prep–6-Music:...
, central Victorian
North central victoria
North Central Victoria is a rural region in the Australian state of Victoria.- Location :Sustainability Victoria, a Victorian Government agency, defines North Central Victoria as the municipalities of Buloke, Gannawarra, Loddon, Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Mount Alexander, Macedon Ranges and the...
landscape painting, and more overseas travel. A trip to England and France on an Australia Council grant in 1988 led to three months study and work in Paris, based at the Cite International des Arts.
In 1990, Armstrong sold the family home in Blackburn
Blackburn, Victoria
Blackburn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Blackburn had a population of 11,958....
, and he and Kath moved to Anglesea. The next ten years were spent painting the local land and seascapes, with trips further afield to Mark Pearce’s Bungala, South Australia studio. Landscape painting En plein air
En plein air
En plein air is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors.Artists have long painted outdoors, but in the mid-19th century working in natural light became particularly important to the Barbizon school and Impressionism...
was a passion that Armstrong followed for over 60 overs; during the 1990s he joined Rick Amor
Rick Amor
Rick Amor is an Australian artist and figurative painter. He was an official war artist.-Life and work:Rick Amor was born in Frankston, Victoria, Australia. He has a certificate in art from the Caulfield Institute of Technology, and Associate Diploma in Painting from the National Gallery School,...
and others to form the 500 Friday Group. In 1999 he completed a painting trip to Central Australia with John and Renee Dent.