Esther Paterson

Esther Paterson Gill (5 February 1892 8 August 1971) was an Australian artist, book-illustrator and cartoonist.

Early years Paterson was born in Carlton, Victoria, the second child born to Scottish emigrants Hugh and Elizabeth Leslie (née Deans) Paterson. She was the niece of eminent landscape painter John Ford Paterson. Paterson grew up around artists, actors, and other creatives, and lived next door to Annie and Frederick McCubbin. run by Swiss art patron Madame Elise Pfund, Paterson studied painting beside William Beckwith McInnes at the National Gallery of Victoria art school over 1907-12 under Bernard Hall and Frederick McCubbin, who was a neighbour of her family.

Career

Paterson was publishing her illustrations while still at school with work featured in The Woman in 1908 and cartoons appearing in the Sydney Bulletin throughout 1912.

Her first book of sketches "Aussie Girls" was published in 1918 by Melbourne Publishing Company. While the pictures were described as a "sometimes frivolous quality of humour", Esther was commended for her portraits of "Inez" and "The Purser."

Her work as a published illustrator was to become more prolific upon her marriage to George Hermon Gill. Gill worked as a staff writer for the Melbourne Star, the Argus, and the Herald, with Esther illustrating many of his articles. She showed her portraits at the 40th annual exhibition of the Society in 1949 at Tye's Gallery, Bourke Street. Fellow artists exhibited included Florence Rodway, Ludmilla Meilerts, Violet McInnes, and Mabel Pye.

Exhibitions 1931, 3 November - 17 December: Group show with John Shirlow, Allan Jordan and Charles Nuttall. Fine Art Galleries, Melbourne

Selected works

Publications

'Beauty in the making', Weekly Times Annual, 4 November 1916 'Many beaux to her string', Weekly Times Annual, 2 November 1918 'Past and present', Weekly Times, 27 December 1919 'The little Volga boy', Herald, 7 October 1922 'How things do change', Midlands Advertiser, 4 January 1929 'Companions in arms' (by J. A. Hetherington and D. H. Symmons), Table Talk, 10 July 1930 'The little voyagers' (with Betty Paterson), Herald, 23 December 1933 'Barnacle Bill' series, Australasian, 9 July; 15 October; 22 October; 17 December, 1938 '...Nor any drop to drink', Argus, 17 February 1940 'The kiddies have a wonderful time in this kindergarten' (illustrated by Betty Paterson), Argus, 29 May 1943

With Hermon Gill

'The Browns of Bangaroo', Australasian, 28 August, 1937 'This pets business', Australasian, 25 September 1937 'The show's grim moments', Australasian, 2 October 1937 'Brent's last case', Australasian, 9 October 1937 'Bone studs and backbones', Australasian, 18 December 1937 'It must be done - and yet -', Australasian, 29 January 1938 With Ethel Turner

Nicola Silver (serial), Australian Woman's Mirror 9 December 1924 16 December 1924 23 December 1924 30 December 1924 6 January 1925 13 January 1925 20 January 1925 27 January 1925 3 February 1925

Death and legacy On 8 August 1971, Esther Paterson died at Middle Park and was cremated with Anglican rites. Her husband, George Hermon Gill, died two years later.