Design and Art Australia Online

painter and art teacher, advertised as a professor of drawing in the Sydney Morning Herald of 17 July 1866, offering to copy pictures and give lessons at schools or in private homes in the 'Human Figure, in crayon or pencil. Landscape, Animals, Architecture, Flower Painting’. In March 1867 he was short-listed for the position of drawing master at the Sydney School of Arts to which F.C. Terry was appointed. Nixon’s drawings, however, were considered 'of a very high order’ and a letter was sent to him 'expressing high praise … of the finely executed specimens exhibited’. When Terry was dismissed the following March, Nixon replaced him. In April 1869 his proposal to form a ladies’ drawing class was approved by the institute’s committee.

Nixon advertised his teaching abilities in the Herald in April and May 1868, offering private lessons in drawing at 3 guineas a quarter or classes at 2 guineas. On both occasions he gave his address as Oswald Allen 's Photography Gallery above Anderson’s Music Depot. He was Allen’s son-in-law, having married Eliza Allen 's daughter, and it is likely that he also worked for Allen as a colourist. In May he announced that 'Mr Nixon, E.C.G. has a class twice a week at Mrs Kneller Parker’s…young ladies of the neighbourhood are invited to join’; in July the Herald carried an advertisement for 'Knellerpore, Double Bay – Mr Nixon’s Class for Water Colours, twice a week’.

'F.A. Nixon, artist’ was listed at 324 George Street, Sydney, in 1869, but this appears to have been a misprint. F.J. Nixon, however, was at Hosking Street, Balmain, the following year, again listed as a professor of drawing. From Balmain he sent a sepia or pen-and-ink Heads and a chalk head to the 1870 Sydney Intercolonial Exhibition, each for sale at 2 guineas. Both were awarded highly commended certificates. His crayon Antique Head (one guinea) did not take a prize and The Doctors (After Dor?) was disqualified for being a copy. He was probably the F. Nixon who showed 'crayon’ and watercolour sketches and a picture of a windmill in the non-competitive section of the same exhibition. Some outline drawings were shown in the 1872 exhibition of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales, 'all evincing the greatest merit, and purity of style’, according to the Sydney Mail . His pen-and-ink drawings were highly commended and he won two second prizes: one for a 'crayon’ (probably pastel) portrait, the other for drawings made 'with a burnt match’.

Writers:

Staff Writer

Date written:

1992

Last updated:

2011