Painter, was born in South Australia. He studied in Adelaide and Sydney, and lived in Adelaide, Kadina, and in 1895-97 Coolgardie (Western Australia). The John J. Christmas family moved to Western Australia about 1889, provisioning miners as they had done in Kadina SA and Broken Hill NSW. Ernest assisted his father in Kadina and Coolgardie. He returned to WA numerous times between 1896 and 1911. Solo exhibitions of his pictures were presented in Adelaide, Sydney, Bendigo, Hobart, Perth, Bathurst, Newcastle, Armidale, London, San Francisco and Honolulu as well as other cities. Christmas was primarily in England and Scotland between 1901-02 where he slected works for the 1902 Australian Federal International Exhibition, Melbourne. In New Zealand from about September 1905 to the end of 1907, where he sketched, exhibited and undertook commissions from the NZ Gov’t to paint scenery on the South Island, which saw him walk the McKinnon Pass between lake Te Anau and Mitford Sound. He returned to Australia with over 500 sketches of New Zealand. He is known for painting dramatic scenic views of Argentina, California, Hawaii, the South Island of New Zealand, Tasmanian, the Murray River area, as well as numerous locations in SA and WA. Elected to membership of Royal British Artist Association he exhibited in the Society’s 1909 and 1910 Annual exhibition. An extensive traveler there is evidence that he travelled over 200,000 miles in pursue of picturesque and dramatic natural settings.
'Mr E.W. Christmas, who showed at the Sydney Art Society’s exhibition some three years ago,[Royal Artists Society of NSW, 1894] is a regular contributor to the annual shows in Adelaide, and is represented in the collection of the National Art Gallery at Brisbane, will exhibit some of his newest works at the Equitable Building to-day. Mr Christmas has secured for his purpose a noble chamber on the ground floor, so that his pictures, which chiefly illustrate New Zealand scenery and the beauty of the Murray, are placed at an advantage. Mr Christmas makes his successes in many instances with sunset effects, which he interprets skillfully with an eye to the picturesque. Amongst the two score works now exhibited visitors will especially admire In the Prime of Summer Time (no.20), showing a glassy pool on the Flinders Ranges, with much carefully executed detail in waving grasses in the foreground, and a remarkably clever effect by which the glowing sunset dyes the distant purple hills with orange fruits that suggest the lingering warmth of the departing day. At Eventide (no.22) ... One of the Glories of Fjordland, New Zealand (no.21) ... Porter’s Pass (no.27). Altogether this exhibition … will well repay inspection” (Sydney Morning Herald 3 November 1897, p.1).
His paintings on show Town Hall, Hobart (see Mercury , 9 February 1898, p.2, for long description).
His paintings on show in Perth, WA (see Western Mail Saturday 28 April 1900, p.45, for long description).
His paintings on show A. N. A. Hall, Bendigo, VIC (see Bendigo Advertiser Wed. 12 April 1899 for long description with titles and catalogue numbers).
Lengthy interview “An Australian Artist: An Interview with E. W. Christmas.” (see Sunday Times Perth, 21 Feb. 1909, p.3).
For overview of his travel until 1899 (see The Express and Telegraph Adelaide 16 Sept. 1899, p.5).
