woodcarver, was born on 18 June 1880 at Parramatta, eighth of the nine children of native-born parents Frederick Weston, draftsman, and Mary Ann, née Elliott, great-granddaughter of Lieutenant George Johnston. By 1902 she was living in Alexandra House, a residence for colonial students in London and studying at the School of Wood-Carving, South Kensington. There she formed a lifelong friendship with Eirene Mort. When they returned to Sydney, they rented a studio in the city. Weston, known as 'Chips’, described herself as a cabinet-maker and taught woodcarving, carpentry and leatherwork. The pair set up as interior decorators, creating ornaments and furnishings with an Australian flavour, Weston executing Mort’s designs for objects such as a chair made of silky oak and Australian leather, and copper boxes.
In 1906 they founded the Guild of Handicrafts for women, which aimed to produce articles for 'household use and decoration’. It held an exhibition in December, but was superseded by the Society of Arts and Crafts of NSW, also founded in 1906. Weston joined the Society in March 1908 and was briefly custodian of its rooms. At its 1910 annual exhibition she and Mort showed cushions, blotters and leatherwork as well as larger pieces and panels. She was Hon Sec of the Society before leaving for England in 1911. She resumed the association on her return, serving on the Society’s selection committee (1917-19) and general committee (1918, 1929-32) and teaching at its Rowe Street studios in the 1920s. She attended and helped provide scenery and costumes for Artists’ Balls from 1922. Like other Society members, she taught handicrafts to convalescent soldiers in repatriation hospitals during and after both World Wars.
Dependent on the sale of her wood, leather and metal work for an income, Weston mostly made small gift items. From about 1920 she and Mort lived together at Vaucluse, until 1937 when they moved to Greenhayes, Mittagong, then to Bowral in 1960. She died on 16 August 1965 at Berrima and was cremated with Anglican rites. A memorial exhibition was held in their Bowral home.
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
stokel
- Date written:
- 1999
- Last updated:
- 2011
