Pro Hart Australian, b. 1928-2006
Pro Hart is one of Australia’s most famous artists. He was born on the 30th May 1928 in Broken Hill, NSW and spent much of his youth on the family sheep property “Larloona Station”, near Menindee, NSW. Taught by correspondence, Pro Hart’s interest in painting and sketching became apparent, as he started to illustrate his school essays in preference to writing them. Even at a young age and with no formal art training, the quintessential Pro Hart style began to emerge.
Because of his work in the mines, Pro Hart’s compassion for the ‘ordinary folk’ became evident. His time underground instilled in him a passion for portraying the harsh realities of life in his work. With this interesting background it is no wonder that his art reflects the true character of Australia and Australians.
1n 1962, a gallery director in Adelaide, South Australia discovered him. As a result of his first exhibition, the Pro Hart legend was born. Since then Pro Hart has developed a highly individualized style, depicting scenes of rural Australia. Working in oils and water colours with both brush and pallet knife and using vivid colours true to the harshness of the outback, his paintings have won world acclaim.
Pro’s paintings now hang in the Art Galleries of NSW and SA, the Mertz Collection and the White House Collection in the U.S.A., Buckingham Palace, London, as well as private collections all over the world.
1928 Born in Broken Hill N.S.W.
1958 Commenced painting full time.
1962 First Solo Exhibition at Bonython Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia.
1963 Commenced Eureka Stockade and Captain Cook series of paintings.
1973 First Solo Exhibition, Qantas House, London.
Represented at the Dusseldorf International Art Exhibition.
Illustrated "Poems of Henry Lawson" - Ure Smith.
1974 Illustrated "Poems of Banjo Patterson" - Ure Smith.
Larloona Exhibition, Sydney.
1975 Traveling Group Exhibition, Los Angeles, New York, London.
Solo Show, Australian Commission, Hong Kong.
Commenced Hong Kong Series of paintings and watercolors.
1976 Awarded M.B.E.
Hong Kong Show, Sydney.
Solo Show, Raffles Hotel, Singapore.
Solo Show, Tokyo American Club, Tokyo.
1977 Asian series exhibition, Sydney.
"The Art of Pro Hart" published, Rigby Australia.
1978 Solo Show Hobart, Tasmania.
Exhibited Grand Rapids Art Museum, Michigan in association with Grand Rapids World Affairs Council, America.
Solo Exhibition Hong Kong, Wagner Art Gallery.
Sydney Beach Scenes, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney.
1979 New York Exhibition, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney.
1980 Exhibition, Leivak Gallery, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Exhibition, Cairo, Egypt.
Israel and Egypt Series, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney.
1981 Town Exhibition, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney.
1982 Honorary Life Member of the Society International Artistique.
Exhibition Hong Kong.
Exhibition "Outback Christmas", Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney.
Illustrated "Christmas Story" Rigby Australia.
1983 Citizen of the Year Award, Broken Hill, N.S.W., Australia.
1984 Exhibition, Hong Kong.
1988 Australian Bicentennial Exhibition, Hong Kong.
1989 Exhibition "Beach Scenes and Other Works", Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney.
1990 Visions of Gallipoli, Infinite Art Gallery, Melbourne.
Recent Paintings, "Flower Series", Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney.
1994 Serving Brother - The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem
1995 Honorary Life Governor - St John
2001 Family Exhibition, World Heritage Art, Gold Coast International, Queensland
2002 Masks Exhibition, House of Phillips Fine Art, Sydney
2003 Opening of the Pro Hart Retrospective Touring Exhibition, Monash Gallery of Art, Cityof Monash
International Collections
Harold Mertz, U.S.A.
Lyndon Johnson, U.S.A.
Prince Phillip, London.
Cathay Pacific Airlines, Hong Kong.
Menachem Begin, Israel.
Madam Jihan El Sadat, Egypt
Warsaw National Gallery, Poland.
Australia Collections
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
State Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania.
War Memorial, Canberra.
University of N.S.W.
Macquarie University, N.S.W.
Art Gallery of N.S.W.
Sydney Opera House
State Gallery of South Australia
Kim Bonython, South Australia
QANTAS Airlines
Margaret Carnegie, N.S.W.
