Gray Smith

Gray Smith (13 February 1919 – 7 August 1990) was an Australian artist, poet and jeweller who was part of the Heide Circle. While best known as the famous Australian artist Joy Hester's spouse, his most productive artistic period came later while married to Joan Upward in the '60s and '70s. Smith's modernist paintings often featured isolated figures in Australian outback landscapes.

Biography

Early life Smith was born in Melbourne, Australia. At 14, he left school to study as an optician and studied art at night. He left Melbourne in 1939 to become a timber cutter in North Drummond, Victoria, sparking a life-long interest in the Australian bush and its folklore. He married Dorothy Yvonne Egan-Lee in 1944 and had a daughter, Gaie Jocelyn Smith, in 1945.

For his entire life, Smith had epilepsy which stopped him from working steady jobs and slowed his artistic output.

Artistic career During the 1940s, Smith joined the artistic group that became known as the Heide Circle,

But even before then, Smith was already acquainted with Sidney Nolan and the Boyds through his older brother Martin Smith, a close friend of Nolan's. He was also a member of the Contemporary Art Society along with Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan and John Perceval.

The Reeds also already considered the Smiths (Martin, Gray and their mother Elsie) as extended family.

In 1947, Smith fell in love with Joy Hester and eloped to Sydney.

After about a year, they returned to Melbourne, settling in Hurstbridge, then later moved to Box Hill where they could easier access medical treatment as Hester had Hodgkin lymphoma and Smith continued to struggle with epilepsy.

Joy Hester's time with Smith (1947–1960) was her most productive when she produced the acclaimed series Faces, Love, and Sleep.

Smith and Hester lived a balanced life together, practising their art until Joy's death in 1960 from Hodgkin lymphoma. Here, Smith began the most prolific period of his artistic career producing over 200 paintings. During this time, Joan did much of the historical research for Gray's artwork, notably the Canberry series. In 1964, Joan and Gray's daughter Sheenagh was born.

The Reeds supported Smith and his family in many ways. For example, in 1958, John Reed sent one of Gray's paintings to the Museum of Modern Art director in New York.

The French government invited fellow artist John Perceval and Smith to exhibit in Paris in 1967. The plan was to steam to Europe with Joan and their five children. In the end, Perceval was unable to make the trip, and Arthur Wicks took his place, and they exhibited together in Paris.

Smith contributed in many ways to Canberra life. He taught art to locals in his backyard. He helped children with disabilities learn to paint as part of their therapy. And in 1971 and '72, Smith was The Canberra Times art critic, writing over 80 critiques of art shows in Canberra.

Smith died in Canberra on 7 August 1990 at his nursing home with his daughter Fern Smith by his side. 1966: ‘Canberry Paintings – the first 100 years’. Theatre Centre Gallery. 20 October 1968: 'Eurimburra Paintings and English Paintings'. Australian Sculpture Gallery. 1969: The ANU Arts Society Acquisition exhibition of Gray Smith's paintings Union Building ANU opened by Dr. B. E Kent February 1970: Captain Cook Series. Australian Sculpture Gallery. 1971: Daisy Bates Series for the ABC broadcasting commission The Daisy Bates series was researched and developed by Professor Tulip 1975: Solo exhibition at Solander Galleries arranged by Joan Scott (née Davis) 1965. Gallery A. Canberra. 23–28 May 1966, Canberra and Goulburn Regional Round for the Helena Rubinstein Portrait Prize (winner), David Jones Department Store, Canberra. June 1966, Helena Rubinstein Portrait Prize (finalist), Claude Hotchin Art Gallery, Perth. 10–13 May 1967, Paintings by Gray Smith and John Perceval, Residence of Henri Souillac, Cultural Attaché to the French Embassy, Canberra. National Gallery of Australia (Canberra, ACT) University of Canberra (Canberra, ACT) Australian National University (Canberra, ACT)

Publications Shumack, S., Smith, J. E., & Smith, Gray. (1967). An autobiography : or, Tales and legends of Canberra pioneers / Ed. by J.E. and Samuel Shumack ; [Illus. by Gray Smith] C. Canberra: A.N.U. pr. ABC TV Series on Daisy Bates. Smith, Gray. "The Hold-Up." Ern Malley’s Journal, vol. 1, no. 1, 1952, p. 17. Smith, Gray. "Murder." Ern Malley’s Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, 1955, p. 26. Smith, Gray. "Standing." Ern Malley’s Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, 1955, p. 27.