Smith, Grace Cossington (1892–1984)

Australian painter. Name variations: Grace Cossington-Smith. Born Grace Cossington Smith, April 20, 1892, in Neutral Bay, NSW, Australia; died Dec 10, 1984, in Turramurra, Australia; dau. of Ernest (rector) and Grace Smith; attended Dattilo Rubbo's Art School, 1909–12, 1914–26; studied with Albert Collins, Alfred Coffey and Nora Simpson; never married.

Pioneer of modernist movement, credited with introducing post-Impressionism to Australia, co-founded Contemporary Group (1926) and was a leader among Sydney modernist painters; painted in bright colors with square brush strokes, a style which was not yet popular and can be seen in The Sock Knitter (1915), a key work in Australian modernist movement; focused on form and color in such landscapes as The Bridge In-Curve (1930), in such domestic scenes as The Lacquer Room (1935) and in such urban scenes as Soldiers Marching (1917); held 1st solo exhibition (1928) and received scathing reviews, though same works are now considered among Australia's finest; exhibited at London's Walker Gallery (1932) and at New English Art Club, Redfern Gallery and Royal Academy (1950); held 12 exhibitions at Macquarie Galleries in Sydney (1932–72); widely recognized for her talent by 1970, included in survey exhibitions of Australian women artists at Ewing and George Paton Galleries, University of Melbourne and touring public galleries (1975); featured at The Great Australian Art Exhibition and A Century of Women Artists 1840s–1940s at Deutscher Fine Art, Melbourne (1993); lived most of life with sisters in Sydney, spending final years at family home in Sydney suburb of Turramurra. Won Mosman prize (1952), Bathurst prize (1958 and 1960); awarded Order of British Empire (OBE, 1973).