Design and Art Australia Online

Jack Courier (1915– 2007), a.k.a. John, was an Australian Modernist printmaker, painter and teacher.[1]

Early life and education

Courier was born in 1915 in Elwood. As a young man he took various jobs including work as a salesman in country towns.[2]
He studied at the school established by George Bell and Arnold Shore at 443 Bourke Street, Melbourne, which became a centre for modernist art in Melbourne.[3][4] He exhibited with the George Bell Group in 1949 and with the Melbourne Contemporary Artists in 1952.[5] An early review by The Age art critic of the exhibition of the George Bell Group in their annual exhibition at the Victorian Artists’ Society’s Gallery, Albert Street, East Melbourne, noted that his painting The Red Chair, and one by Peter Cox, were works “by younger men that impress”[6]

Career

Like other Australian printmakers, including Fred Williams, Ian Armstrong, Janet Dawson and Robert Grieve, Courier went to study abroad.[7] From 1950 to 1951 he travelled in Europe, then funded by a British Council Bursary returned to England 1954-1956 to study painting, drawing, lithography with Lynton Lamb and Ceri Richards and also etching at the Slade School.[1] On his return to Melbourne, he set up the first printmaking department at Prahran Technical School. Not long after his return he exhibited paintings, drawings and lithographs made in London at Peter Bray Gallery in March 1957. The Age art critic wrote of “the newcomer” as;

“an artist of Integrity and personal feeling. Working in the subdued English light he has evolved a low-toned, misty style in his oils, which leaves him little tonal range. But within the limits he allows himself he can create an effect of depth and space which enriches his quiet canvases [...] The color is deliberately unobtrusive, but it Is an organic part of these works,” going on to remark on his skilful draughtsmanship to conclude that “he is almost certainly an artist to watch.”[8]

His friend and colleague Peter Jacobs organised the acquisition of Courier’s works by the National Gallery of Australia,[9] where Roger Butler, a senior curator remarked that “Jack is arguably Australia’s finest stone lithographer…”[10]

Teaching

Courier taught at Caulfield Technical College where he introduced the teaching of lithography,[11][12] at Prahran College, and Swinburne Technical College.[1][9] He also taught silk screening and drawing at Pentridge Gaol.[2]
Courier was a foundation member of the Print Council of Australia and exhibited with them, including in touring shows.

Personal life

Later in life Courier married painter Mary McLeish. They exhibited together and she was frequently a finalist in the Archibald Prize. Their daughter was Mary Courier McLeish.

Exhibitions

Solo

• 1957, 19–28 March: Peter Bray Gallery⁸
• 1966, from 30 January: Exhibition of paintings and prints by Jack Courier. North Adelaide Galleries¹³
• 1991, 28 November – 18 December: Eastgate Gallery¹⁴
• 2009: Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum¹²
• 1963, May: Landscapes. Concurrent with solo show by wife Mary McLeish. Australian Galleries, Collingwood¹⁵
• 1989: Jack Courier, lithographs and oils. Eastgate Gallery¹³
• 2003: Lithographs and gouaches by Jack Courier. The Rotunda, Hong Kong¹³

• 1952, Melbourne Contemporary Artists annual exhibition. Victorian Artists Society, East Melbourne⁵
• 1992: Classical Modernism: The George Bell Circle. National Gallery of Victoria⁴
• 1970, March: Leveson Street Gallery, North Melbourne¹⁶

• National Gallery of Australia¹⁷[9]
• Art Gallery of New South Wales
• Art Gallery of South Australia¹⁸
• National Gallery of Victoria¹⁹
• Castlemaine Art Museum²⁰
• Latrobe Valley¹
• Mildura¹
• Warrnambool¹

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g McCulloch, Alan; McCulloch, Susan; McCulloch Childs, Emily (2006). The new McCulloch’s encyclopedia of Australian art (4 ed.). Fitzroy BC, Vic.: AUS Art Editions. p. 345. ISBN 9780522853179. OCLC 608565596.none
2. ^ a b Blackman, Barbara; Courier, Jack (1989), Interview with John Courier, artist, OCLC 221332806, retrieved 2022-07-13none Cite error: The named reference “:1” was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
3. ^ Williams, Fred, “Bell, George Frederick Henry (1878–1966)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2022-07-13
4. ^ Jump up to: a b Moore, Felicity St. John; National Gallery of Victoria (1992), Classical modernism: the George Bell circle., Melbourne, Vic.: National Gallery of Victoria, OCLC 37096859, retrieved 2022-07-13
5. ^ Jump up to: a b ““The Age” Art Critic” (14 October 1952). “Art Notes : Impressive Display of Contemporary Work”. The Age. p. 2.
6. ^ “The Age” Art Critic (18 October 1949). “Art Notes”. The Age. p. 2.
7. ^ Grishin, Sasha; King, Grahame E; Bright, Libby (2005). The art of Grahame King. South Yarra, Vic.: Macmillan Art Publishing. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-876832-59-9. OCLC 69676613.
8. ^ Jump up to: a b “The Age” Art Critic (19 March 1957). “Art Notes : Shows of paintings – past and present”. The Age. p. 2.
9. ^ Jump up to: a b c Butler, Roger; Virgo, Anne; National Gallery of Australia (2004). Place made: Australian print workshop. Canberra; Seattle, WA: National Gallery of Australia ; University of Washington Press [distributor. ISBN 978-0-642-54155-0. OCLC 1058035653.
10. ^ Sidaoui, Maha (2020-03-19). “Honouring Jack Courier’s Legacy”. O&G Magazine. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
11. ^ Stocky, Catherine (2006). Jack Courier – master lithographer (Thesis).
12. ^ Jump up to: a b Courier, Jack; Stocky, Catherine; Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum (2009). Jack Courier (1915-2007): lithographs. Castlemaine, Vic.: Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum. OCLC 653970903.
13. ^ Jump up to: a b c “Jack Courier : Exhibitions”. www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
14. ^ Eastgate Gallery (1991). Works on paper: November 28th – December 18th 1991. Hawthorn, Vic.: Eastgate Gallery. ISBN 978-1-875517-05-3. OCLC 781543843.
15. ^ Shore, Arnold (21 May 1963). “Art Notes”. The Age. p. 5.
16. ^ Galbally, Ann (25 March 1970). “Prints that impress”. The Age. p. 2.
17. ^ “Jack Courier”. National Gallery of Australia. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
18. ^ “Jack Courier”. Art Gallery of South Australia. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
19. ^ “John Courier”. National Gallery of Victoria. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
20. ^ “Jack Courier (b.1915, d.2007)”. Castlemaine Art Museum Collection Online. Retrieved 2022-07-13.

Writers:

James McArdle

Date written:

2022

Last updated:

2022