David Boyd Australian, 1924-2011
David Boyd is a figurative painter, ceramic sculptor and potter. David Boyd's art stems from a long family tradition of artistic talent.
David Boyd started his career as a well-known and talented potter before turning his attention to painting in 1957. His first work was a symbolic protrayal of Australian explorers.
Since then, he is kept to this theme and has produced several major series of works including his powerful Trial series, The Tasmanian Aboriginies & The Wanderer & Exiles series. His work contains juxtapositions of innocence and evil as well as representing Australian history with universal themes that many can relate to.
David Boyd is represented in the Australian National Gallery, Canberra; all State and many regional galleries; the Mertz collection, USA; the Power collection, Sydney; and many major international galleries and private collections in Australia and overseas.
1924 David Boyd was born in Murrumbeena, Melbourne. Third and youngest son of artists Merric and Doris Boyd. Studied pottery and painting within the family circle and also the piano. Entered the Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music at 17
1942 Joined Contemporary Art Society of Australia. Conscripted into Australian Army
1944–46 Studied at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and the National Gallery School on an ex-serviceman's grant. First exhibition of paintings with John Yule at the Rowden White Library, University of Melbourne In partnership with brother Guy Boyd founded Martin Boyd pottery in Sydney
1947 Painting expedition in New Caledonia with author Hugh Atkinson
1948–49 Married Hermia Lloyd-Jones, younger daughter of graphic artist Herman (Jonah) and Erica Lloyd-Jones. Began pottery career with Hermia First exhibition of pottery in Sydney
1950–55 Established pottery studios in London and in the South of France, joined for a time by ceramist and painter Stanislaw Halpern. Travelled widely throughout Spain. Returned to Australia
1956 David and Hermia Boyd became widely known as leading Australian potters. Introduced new techniques in glazing and the use of the potters wheel in shaping sculptural figures. Greatly influenced local potters, in particular Tom Sanders and John Perceval. Major exhibition of ceramic tiles and sculptures at the Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne
1957–58 Commenced painting the Explorer series, exhibited at the Australian Galleries, Melbourne, and Clune Galleries, Sydney
1959 Started a series of paintings based upon the extinction of the full-blood Tasmanian Aboriginal in the nineteenth century. Took part in issuing the Antipodean Manifesto with Blackman, Arthur Boyd, Brack, Dickerson, Perceval, Pugh and B. Smith, defending the figurative image in contemporary painting in a joint exhibition in Melbourne. Exhibited Explorers and Tasmanians in Adelaide
1960 Commenced a series of paintings on the theme of Law and Justice, the Trial series. Elected President of the Contemporary Art Society (Victorian branch), Councillor of the Museum of Modern Art of Australia
1961 First prize Italian Art Scholarship for Australia. Chairman of the Federal Council of the Contemporary Art Society of Australia
1962 Lived in Rome, continuing the Trial series, before returning to England. Settled in London
1963 First one-man exhibitions in London and Paris of the Trial paintings 1964 Revisited Spain and painted Church and State series based upon this visit
1965 One-man exhibitions in London and in Australia of Church and State
1966 Discovered method of using candle flame to create images and named the technique Sfumato, a word used by Leonardo da Vinci to describe graduations of a misty tone in painting (although there is no evidence that Leonardo used a candle flame to achieve this effect)
1967–69 Exhibited Sfumato paintings in London and in Australia, including Newcastle, NSW. Revisited Australia. Exhibited late Sfumato and Limbo paintings in Adelaide, SA. War Games in Sydney, NSW. Visited Boyd Town at Twofold Bay, south coast of NSW Commenced a series of paintings, Wanderer, inspired by the life of Benjamin Boyd, an Australian adventurer of the 1840s Retrospective exhibition of loaned works from various collections in Australia and Britain at Commonwealth Institute Art Gallery, London, Edinburgh and Sheffield
1970 Settled in south of France. First exhibition of Wanderer series at Adelaide Festival of Arts, South Australia. Next at Von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle, NSW
1971 Exhibited Wanderer series in separate sections in three concurrent London exhibitions. Started a series based on mythological Orchard of Heaven, first exhibitied in Brisbane, Qld. Visited Australia Bay Village, 28 – 34 Cross Street Double Bay NSW 2028 t: 02 9327 2475 www.franceskeevilgallery.com.au DAVID BOYD / FRANCES KEEVIL GALLERY Bay Village, 28 – 34 Cross Street Double Bay NSW 2028 t: 02 9327 2475 www.franceskeevilgallery.com.au
1972 Developed theme of the Orchard and exhibited series entitled Garden in the Wilderness in Newcastle, NSW Returned to France. Commenced the Exiles series. Developed the theme Exiles
1973 Exhibited Exiles series in London and in Melbourne, Vic
1974 Retrospective exhibition at Skinner Galleries, Perth, Festival of Arts
1975 Returned to Australia. Retrospective exhibition at Von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle, NSW 1976 Retrospective exhibition at Bonython Gallery, Sydney
1977 Commenced series Private View
1978 Developed theme of Private View
1979–82 Major retrospective exhibition, Albert Hall, Canberra. Painted a series of works entitled Day of the Picnic 1983 Retrospective Exhibition
1957-82, a series of seven exhibitions, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney
1985 Exhibition Four Seasons, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney
1986 Exhibited A Judge in the Landscape series, Hong Kong; Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney; Von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
1987 Exhibition Requiem for the Birth of a Nation, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney
1988 Exhibition Antipodean Second Chapter, Lauraine Diggins Fine Arts, Melbourne; Lanyon Gallery, Canberra
1989 S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney, Antipodean Second Chapter
1990 Dedicated to Merric and Doris Boyd, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney
1991–92 Clown in the Tree series
1992 Survey retrospective exhibitions Wagner Gallery, Sydney; Caulfield Art Complex, Melbourne; Macquarie University, Sydney; Beaver Galleries, Canberra
1993–94 Metaphors of Trial series, Von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
1995 The Legend of Europa and the Cockatoos, Eva Breuer Art Dealer, Sydney
1996 Europa in Australia, Von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
1996–97 Driftwood and the Hierarchy series, Von Bertouch Galleries; Wagner Gallery, Sydney
1998 Music and the Angels, Galeria Aniela, Kangaroo Valley
1999 Survey retrospective, Von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
2001 Reconciliation, Eva Breuer Art Dealer, Sydney, NSW
APPOINTMENTS AND AWARDS
1960 President of the Contemporary Art Society (Victorian branch) 1960 Elected Councillor of the Museum of Modern Art of Australia
1961 First Prize Italian Art Scholarship for Australian Chairman of the Federal Council of the Contemporary Art Society of Australia.
1993–96 Artist-in-residence School of Law, Macquarie University, NSW
1998 MEMBRO ALBO DORO DEL SENATO ACCADEMICO - International Academy of Modern Art, Rome, Italy
2008 Awarded an OAM for his services to art as a painter and innovator of design and techniques in pottery and ceramic sculpture
COLLECTIONS PAINTINGS:
Australian War Memorial, Canberra
Queensland University, Brisbane
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Ballarat Art Gallery, Ballarat, Vic
Sydney University (Law Faculty), Sydney
Harold Mertz Collection of Australian Paintings, USA
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
Lincolnshire and South Humberside Arts, Usher Gallery, Lincoln, England
Fine Arts Department, University of Melbourne
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
Adelaide Art Teachers College, Adelaide, SA
Monash University, Melbourne
Law School, University of Melbourne Bay Village, 28 – 34 Cross Street Double Bay NSW 2028 t: 02 9327 2475 www.franceskeevilgallery.com.au
Newcastle Regional Art Gallery
University of New South Wales, Sydney
Sydney University Power Collection
Bendigo Art Gallery
Graylands College, Perth, Western Australia
National Gallery of Victoria
The University of Adelaide, South Australia Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales Bundanon Trust, Nowra, New South Wales
Macquarie University, New South Wales
DRAWINGS:
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
CERAMIC SCULPTURE:
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Art Gallery Of Western Australia, Perth
POTTERY:
Department of External Affairs, Canberra
Museum of Applied Arts and Science, Sydney
The Power House; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth
Staffordshire Museum, Stoke-on-Trent
Museum of Modern Art of Australia, Melbourne
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
University of Western Australia, Perth
University of Queensland, Brisbane
