Design and Art Australia Online

film and stage designer, painter, cartoonist, printmaker and illustrator, was born in Eaglehawk, Vic. He studied at Castlemaine Technical College, then at the NGV School from c.1926 and at St Martin’s, London, in 1930. He worked in advertising and contributed story illustrations and cartoons to Australia: National Journal , collected in Australia Week-end Book vol.1 (1942), e.g. circus pic p.35 “Perhaps we Zebras are allergic to train travel”; (2 Aussie soldiers in snow in England) “You know, to have a real Christmas, you must have real Christmas weather. Gosh, think of all those lucky cows in Libya!”; strange glass-eating satyr illustrating Roger Welch’s 'Gastronomical Blues’, p.58. Other work appeared later: vol.2 (1943), pp.48, 189 ('Trophies’, showing airman who has souvenired a halo and an angel’s wing, rather weakly drawn); vol.3 (1944) story illustrations; vol.4 (1945), small illustrated comic story about English squire and maid, p.20; vol.5 (1946), small story illustrations.

Later Constable turned to stage design, especially for the Borovansky Ballet, then for the National Theatre, Sydney. His best-known Australian designs were for the ballet 'Corroboree’, Sydney 1951 (originals in Opera House Museum – now SLNSW? – and AGNSW). Worked in UK from late 1950s until 1961.

Writers:

Kerr, Joan

Date written:

1996

Last updated:

2007