Grace Crowley

Grace Adela Williams Crowley (pronounced as in "slowly"; 28 May 1890 – 21 April 1979) was an Australian artist and modernist painter.

Early life and education Grace Crowley was born in May 1890 in Barraba, New South Wales. At about the age of 13, Crowley's parents sent one of her pen and ink drawings to New Idea magazine and she won a prize.

As a child, Crowley received an informal education from the governess of her homestead. In 1909 Ashton visited Crowley at the family farm and encouraged her artistic practice. In 1925 Crowley moved to France with her friend and fellow artist Anne Dangar. Fizelle remained at 215a George Street, Crowley however set up a studio at her apartment at 227 George Street. In 1937, Crowley, Balson, Margel Hinder, Rah Fizelle and Eleonore Lange began planning a group exhibition which later came into fruition with fellow painters and sculptors, Frank Medworth, Dadsworth and Gerald Lewers (husband of Margo Lewers) in Exhibition 1: Paintings and Sculptures. In 1960, Crowley and Balson travelled to galleries in England, France and America. A rapid turn in style occurred during this time of travel, notably in Devon where both Crowley and Balson turned to pouring paint in a similar fashion to Jackson Pollock. In August 1964 Balson died unexpectedly, marking the end of Crowley's art practice also. Crowley stayed at the High Hill residence until she purchased a unit in Manly.

In honour of the forerunners of the modern abstract movement, in 1966 the Art Gallery of New South Wales held an exhibition which included Crowley and her colleagues such as Balson, Fizelle and Hinder. In the 1976 Australia Day Honours, Crowley was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her services to Art.

The National Gallery of Australia held a solo exhibition of her work in December 2006 to May 2007 called Grace Crowley – Being Modern. May-September 2025: Dangerously Modern: Australian Women Artists in Europe 1890-1940, Art Gallery of South Australia