designer, publisher and feminist, was born in Glebe, Sydney. She specialised in modern industrial and interior design in her art studies at ESTC from 1923 and was the first woman to hold a solo design exhibition at the College. In 1939 she set up Viking Press, publishing anti-war material and poetry mainly by women (Dorothy Aucherlonie, Elizabeth Riddell, Elizabeth Lambert, Muir Holburn, Harley Matthews) illustrated with her own artwork and block designs (as Bessie Mitchell). Wartime paper shortages ended the venture in 1943. During the War she was head draughtswoman at Hawker de Havilland, then worked for the Commonwealth Government. After the war, Bessie taught and lectured on design at ESTC and for the WEA and wrote and lectured (especially on radio) about design in the home. In June 1950 she married the social realist painter Clive Guthrie. She was a friend of Rosaleen Norton and Dulcie Deamer. In the 1970s she joined MeJane and was one of the founders of Elsie Women’s Refuge.
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- Writers:
- Staff Writer
- Date written:
- 1996
- Last updated:
- 2007
