Thelma Clune

Thelma Cecily Clune AO (11 March 1900 – 6 September 1992) was an Australian sculptor, painter, patron of the arts and gallery owner.

Thelma Clune

AO
Born
Thelma Cecily Smith

(1900-03-11)11 March 1900
Kings Cross, New South Wales
Died6 September 1992(1992-09-06) (aged 92)
OccupationArt curator, artist
Spouse(s)Frank Clune

Early life

Thelma Cecily Smith was born in Kings Cross[1] in 1900[2] and she later moved with her family to Yarramalong.[1] Clune attended school at St Mary's and studied shorthand and typing.[1]

Career

Clune studied sculpture under Lyndon Dadswell at East Sydney Technical College.[1] She produced sculptural works in stone and metal. Clune began painting in the 1940s, working in oils,[3] and later produced collages on paper.[4] She held her first solo exhibition, "Collages and Sculptures", in 1979 at the Hogarth Galleries in Paddington.[3]

Clune appeared in her husband Frank Clune's newspaper columns as the character "Brown Eyes".[5]

In the 1940s, Thelma and Frank Clune opened an art gallery in Kings Cross. It housed works by many of Australia's best known painters, including Russell Drysdale, John Passmore and John Olsen.[6]

In the 1950s and 1960s, with their younger son Terry Clune, they ran the Terry Clune Art Gallery on Macleay Street in Potts Point. This gallery supported many of Sydney's young expressionist and experimental painters, including John Olsen, Stan Rapotec, Robert Klippel, Robert Hughes, Carl Plate, Margo Lewers, Elwyn Lynn, John Rigby, Desiderius Orban and Robert Dickerson.[7] The Clunes also provided accommodation to artists in a building adjacent to the gallery, and in their home. The Macleay Street building later became the home of artist Martin Sharp and became known as the Sydney landmark the "Yellow House".[6]

Thelma and Frank Clune were patrons and friends of many significant Australian artists, including William Dobell. Dobell's 1946 portrait of Thelma Clune is held by the Art Gallery of New South Wales.[8][9] Susan Rothwell's bronze sculpture of Thelma Clune was a finalist in the 1984 Archibald Prize.[10][11]

Interviews of Clune by Hazel de Berg[1] and Geoffrey Dutton[12] are part of the National Library of Australia collection.

Awards

In 1988 Thelma Clune was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to the visual arts.[13] She was later appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to the arts.[14]

Personal life

On 9 May 1923 Thelma Cecily Smith married Frank Clune, the Australian author and popular historian. They had two sons, Anthony Patrick (1930–2002) and Terry Michael (born 1932).

See also

Notes and references
  1. Clune, Thelma; De Berg, Hazel, 1913-1984, (interviewer.) (1977), Thelma Clune interviewed by Hazel de Berg for the Hazel de Berg collection, retrieved 21 January 2020CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. National Foundation for Australian Women. "Clune, Thelma". The Australian Women's Register. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  3. Bull, Stephanie (28 November 2018). "In the Herald: November 29, 1979". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  4. "Clune, Thelma - Artists - Australian Art Auction Records". www.artrecord.com. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  5. Croft, Julian, "Clune, Francis Patrick (Frank) (1893–1971)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 13 December 2019
  6. "MILESAGO - Features - The Yellow House". www.milesago.com. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  7. "Terry Clune, b. 1932". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  8. "Portrait of Thelma Clune, (1946) by William Dobell". www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  9. "AUSTRALIAN ART'S 'FIRST LADY' TURNS 80". The Australian Women's Weekly. 47 (40). Australia. 5 March 1980. p. 38. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  10. "Archibald Prize finalists 1984 :: Art Gallery NSW". www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  11. "Thelma Clune". Art Transfield. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  12. Clune, Thelma; Dutton, Geoffrey, 1922-1998, (interviewer.) (1988), Thelma Clune interviewed by Geoffrey Dutton in the Geoffrey Dutton MS 7285 collection, retrieved 7 June 2019CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. "Australia Day Honours List, Canberra Times". Trove, National Library of Australia. 26 January 1988.
  14. Melbourne, National Foundation for Australian Women and The University of. "Clune, Thelma - Woman - The Australian Women's Register". www.womenaustralia.info. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
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