Stephen Walker (sculptor)

Stephen Walker (1927 – 16 June 2014) was an Australian sculptor who was made a member of the Order of Australia in 1985.[1] In 2011, he was inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame.[2]

The Bernacchi Tribute, bronze, Hobart

Early life

Walker was born in Balwyn[3] or Colac,[4] Victoria in Australia in 1927.[5] He left school at age 13[4] but attended Melbourne Teachers' College from 1945 to 1947[3] before moving to Hobart in 1948.[6] In the 1950s he repeatedly traveled to Europe, studying sculpting under Henry Moore[4] from 1954 to 1956 and visiting Rome, Florence and Prague through scholarships.[3] On his return to Australia he settled in Tasmania.[6]

Work
Tank Stream Fountain (1981), bronze, Sydney

Walker mainly created bronze sculptures, including the Tank Stream Fountain (1981) in Herald Square near Circular Quay, Sydney and a memorial for Antarctic explorer Louis Bernacchi at Hobart's Victoria Dock.[4] His statues were designed to be usable, for example by strengthening them so people could sit on them. Four of his works are included in the National Heritage Register.[7] Much of his work was inspired by nature and by Antarctica,[6] a continent he visited twice in the 1980s via the Australian Antarctic Division's Humanities Program.[3]

Walker also created medals, including the Royal Society of Tasmania's Joseph Banks Memorial Lecture medal. The Museum Victoria noted his excellence in design.[5] In 1985 Walker was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia "for service to sculpture".[7][8]

Personal life and death

Walker had two children. He died in Hobart on 16 June 2014 of a lung infection.[4]

References
  1. "Gazette: S17: Australia Day 1985 Honours" (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia. 26 January 1985. p. 4. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  2. "Previous Winners". Music Victoria. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  3. "Stephen Walker 1984-85, 1986-87". Australian Antarctic Division. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  4. Howard, Jessica (20 June 2014). "Celebrated Tasmanian artist Stephen Walker dies at age 86". The Mercury.
  5. "Stephen Walker, Sculptor (1927–?)". Museum Victoria. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  6. Raabus, Carol; Wisbey, Chris (29 July 2013). "Stephen Walker's mark on Tasmania". ABC.
  7. "Stephen Walker, celebrated Tasmanian sculptor, dies aged 86". ABC. 19 June 2014.
  8. Member of the Order of Australia (AM), 26 January 1985, It's an Honour
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