Susie Raz

Copyright © Susie Raz 2024
On whose shoulders I stand
The under-representation of female artists in the art history books and art galleries of the world is the motivation behind the creation of this series of self-portraits. Each self-portrait is a homage to a different female Australian artist of the 20 th century who persisted despite the lack of recognition and support of the male dominated culture. These women’s creativity, commitment, and courage have provided me with invaluable role models, and inspire me to continue their work by walking the artistic path. This is a work in progress, there are 12 homages planned. Stay tuned!
Homage to Grace This self-portrait is a homage to Grace Crowley who chose to become a professional artist at a time when this was considered highly unusual for a woman. She was a pioneer of modernism in a conservative and male dominated art world. The self-portrait is based on Portrait of Lucie Beynis (1929) which Crowley completed while she was studying art in France. It is in the collection of the Art Gallery of NSW.
Homage to Nora Nora Heysen was the first female winner of the Archibald Prize. However, like so many other Australian female artists, Nora has not been properly recognised for her contributions to Australian art. This work is based on Nora’s self-portrait completed in 1932. This painting hangs in the Art Gallery of NSW. A reproduction of the original is in the top left corner of my painting, and the top right corner is a reproduction of an Alice painting by Charles Blackman, my greatest artistic inspiration. If you click on the thumbnail picture you will see Nora’s self portrait.
Homage to Hilda Whenever I mentioned to people that I was painting a self-portrait which is a tribute to the artist Hilda Rix Nicholas, they all asked, “Who’s that?” Rix Nicholas’ work hung in the Paris Salon in 1911 alongside Arthur Streeton and George Bell and her works were acquired by the French government in 1912 and in 1925. ‘La Robe Chinoise’, which is the inspiration for this work, hangs in the Art Gallery of Western Australia.
Homage to Lina I only discovered Lina Bryans through doing this project. Yet, in the 1930’s, Lina’s “Pink Hotel” in Darebin on the outskirts of Melbourne rivalled Sunday and John Reed’s art circle at Heide. Between 1937 and 1970, Lina painted 70 portraits of literary and artistic friends thus forming a landscape of Melbourne’s cultural life. Included in these is the portrait of Jean Campbell, a modernist author and playwright, which she titled ‘The Babe is Wise’ after the title of Jean’s recently published book. Both Lina and Jean were free spirits, intellectuals, and well ahead of their time. .
Homage to Thea This self-portrait, the fifth in my series, is my homage to Thea Proctor, a gifted draughtswoman, painter, printer and fashion icon. Thea was the first female Australian artist to exhibit at the Venice Biennale in 1912. In her mid-fifties Thea gave up her studio in George St, Sydney, and moved into a small ground floor flat with her mother in Double Bay. It was here that she painted Woman in White, circa 1942, which is now in the collection of The Art Gallery of NSW, and which is the inspiration for this self-portrait. On the wall behind the woman can be seen the bottom portion of the well-known portrait of Thea painted by her close friend George Lambert when she was in her 20s. I have replaced this with the bottom portion of Woman in White.
Homage to Grace Grace Cossington Smith had a privileged upbringing and unlike most of the female artists of her time, was encouraged by her family to pursue her passion. When she began to exhibit her work in her 20’s the critics were disparaging. The Sock Knitter, on which this self-portrait is based, was ignored and returned unsold to her studio where it remained for the next 40 years. Subsequent reviews of her work were equally dismissive. At the age of 81, Grace was “discovered” and after 60 years of painting in obscurity she became an overnight success. .
Homage to Clarice Until recently so few people had ever heard of Clarice Beckett - art lovers included. She is one of the long list of women artists whose story remained buried until it was unearthed many years after her death. Required to look after her aging parents, and with no space for a studio, Clarice would paint outdoors in the early mornings and evenings when not tied up by domestic responsibilities. She produced hundreds of paintings which evoke the atmosphere of the bayside area of Melbourne at these times. In the 1970’s they were found in a barn, many destroyed by rats and the elements. Clarice died from pneumonia at the age of 48. Perhaps she was just sick and tired of the parochial art world of Melbourne and the negative reviews of the press. .

Susie Raz

Copyright © Susie Raz 2024
On whose shoulders I stand
The under-representation of female artists in the art history books and art galleries of the world is the motivation behind the creation of this series of self-portraits. Each self-portrait is a homage to a different female Australian artist of the 20 th century who persisted despite the lack of recognition and support of the male dominated culture. These women’s creativity, commitment, and courage have provided me with invaluable role models, and inspire me to continue their work by walking the artistic path. This is a work in progress, there are 12 homages planned. Stay tuned!
Homage to Hilda Whenever I mentioned to people that I was painting a self- portrait which is a tribute to the artist Hilda Rix Nicholas, they all asked, “Who’s that?” Rix Nicholas’ work hung in the Paris Salon in 1911 alongside Arthur Streeton and George Bell and her works were acquired by the French government in 1912 and in 1925. ‘La Robe Chinoise’, which is the inspiration for this work, hangs in the Art Gallery of Western Australia.
Homage to Grace This self-portrait is a homage to Grace Crowley who chose to become a professional artist at a time when this was considered highly unusual for a woman. She was a pioneer of modernism in a conservative and male dominated art world. The self-portrait is based on Portrait of Lucie Beynis (1929) which Crowley completed while she was studying art in France. It is in the collection of the Art Gallery of NSW.
Homage to Nora Nora Heysen was the first female winner of the Archibald Prize. However, like so many other Australian female artists, Nora has not been properly recognised for her contributions to Australian art. This work is based on Nora’s self-portrait completed in 1932. This painting hangs in the Art Gallery of NSW. A reproduction of the original is in the top left corner of my painting, and the top right corner is a reproduction of an Alice painting by Charles Blackman, my greatest artistic inspiration. If you touch the thumbnail picture you will see Nora’s self portrait.
Homage to Lina I only discovered Lina Bryans through doing this project. Yet, in the 1930’s, Lina’s “Pink Hotel” in Darebin on the outskirts of Melbourne rivalled Sunday and John Reed’s art circle at Heide. Between 1937 and 1970, Lina painted 70 portraits of literary and artistic friends thus forming a landscape of Melbourne’s cultural life. Included in these is the portrait of Jean Campbell, a modernist author and playwright, which she titled ‘The Babe is Wise’ after the title of Jean’s recently published book. Both Lina and Jean were free spirits, intellectuals, and well ahead of their time. .
Homage to Thea This self-portrait, the fifth in my series, is my homage to Thea Proctor, a gifted draughtswoman, painter, printer and fashion icon. Thea was the first female Australian artist to exhibit at the Venice Biennale in 1912. In her mid-fifties Thea gave up her studio in George St, Sydney, and moved into a small ground floor flat with her mother in Double Bay. It was here that she painted Woman in White, circa 1942, which is now in the collection of The Art Gallery of NSW, and which is the inspiration for this self-portrait. On the wall behind the woman can be seen the bottom portion of the well-known portrait of Thea painted by her close friend George Lambert when she was in her 20s. I have replaced this with the bottom portion of Woman in White.
Homage to Grace Grace Cossington Smith had a privileged upbringing and unlike most of the female artists of her time, was encouraged by her family to pursue her passion. When she began to exhibit her work in her 20’s the critics were disparaging. The Sock Knitter, on which this self-portrait is based, was ignored and returned unsold to her studio where it remained for the next 40 years. Subsequent reviews of her work were equally dismissive. At the age of 81, Grace was “discovered” and after 60 years of painting in obscurity she became an overnight success. .
Homage to Clarice Until recently so few people had ever heard of Clarice Beckett - art lovers included. She is one of the long list of women artists whose story remained buried until it was unearthed many years after her death. Required to look after her aging parents, and with no space for a studio, Clarice would paint outdoors in the early mornings and evenings when not tied up by domestic responsibilities. She produced hundreds of paintings which evoke the atmosphere of the bayside area of Melbourne at these times. In the 1970’s they were found in a barn, many destroyed by rats and the elements. Clarice died from pneumonia at the age of 48. Perhaps she was just sick and tired of the parochial art world of Melbourne and the negative reviews of the press. .