Esther Paterson, painter and illustrator, was born on 5 February 1892 at Carlton, Melbourne, the second child of Scottish-born parents Hugh Paterson (the first chairman of the Commonwealth Art Advisory) and his wife Elizabeth Leslie, née Deans. Paterson’s father and uncle (John Ford) were both artists and through their example she was introduced to the Melbourne art scene from an early age. Her younger sister Betty also became an illustrator, cartoonist and journalist and as young girls, the Paterson sisters played games with the children of the prominent artist Frederick McCubbin, as the McCubbin family lived on the same street.
Paterson was educated at Oberwyl School, St Kilda, and studied painting at the National Gallery of Victoria School (1907-1912) under the tutelage of English artist Bernard Hall, where she attained a reputation in portraiture. In 1915, three years after her studies at the NGV School, an exhibition of her work was held at Besant Hall, Centreway, Collins St, Melbourne, receiving critical acclaim in The Argus newspaper. Her work as an illustrator can be seen in ‘Aussie Girls’ which was published towards the end of 1918, following the First World War. In her private life, on 2 June 1923, Paterson married George Hermon Gill (1895-1973), a London-born mariner and naval officer who had emigrated to Melbourne in 1922.
During her artistic career, Paterson formed many friendships with fellow artists including W.B. McInnes, who painted her portrait ‘Silk and Lace’ for which he was awarded the Archibald Prize in 1927. She admired the art of McInnes, as well as the work of other noted Australian artists such as George Lambert, John Longstaff and Max Meldrum. When her husband resigned from his post with the shore staff of the Commonwealth Government Line of Steamers in 1929, Paterson and her husband went on a trip to England and Scotland. While in England, they made a pilgrimage to Great Ayton in Yorkshire and Paterson took the time to create a large number of sketches and watercolours inspired by her trip.
In 1930, Esther Paterson supplied the cover illustration for the ‘Table Talk Annual’ and she continued to exhibit her work regularly in Melbourne. As an established artist, she also served as a dignitary at events, and, for example, opened an exhibition of paintings by artists including Phyle Waterhouse and Arthur Read at Velasquez Galleries, 100 Bourke St, Melbourne, on 5 October 1943.
In 1950, Paterson achieved the honour of being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London, which was a society founded in the eighteenth century for the encouragement of the Arts. Her work had become known in England and several of her portraits, including one of Dr Thomas Wood, were in London. Her popular reputation in portraiture was further reflected by the praise she received from the Governor of Victoria Sir Dallas Brooks in 1955 with regard to her portrait of his wife Lady Brooks, which was exhibited on 2 May at the Victorian Artists’ Society in Albert St, East Melbourne.
During the later years of her artistic career, Paterson served as a council-member (1954-68) of the Victorian Artists Society, of which she became an honorary life member, and she was the President of the Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors in 1966. She passed away on 8 August 1971 at her family home in Middle Park, Victoria.
The art of Esther Paterson is represented in several prominent public collections in Australia, including the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne and the Geelong Art Gallery, Geelong.
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
ecwubben
- Date written:
- 1995
- Last updated:
- 2012
