B. 1881 – 1974

Born in Norfolk, England, Norah Gurdon immigrated to Victoria, Australia with her family in 1886. She went on to study at the National Gallery School under Frederick McCubbin and Bernard Hall, who was admired at the time for his fair and supportive treatment of female artists. 

Having met them at art school, Gurdon was lifelong friends with fellow artists Jessie Traill, Janet Cumbrae Stewart, Vida Lahey and Dora Wilson. During WWI she served in the French Voluntary Aid Detachment and upon returning to Australia, bought land in Kalorama where she built her dream home. 

Gurdon lived out her days on this property with her sister, never marrying but often playing host to other artists. She was a successful landscape artist, best known for her paintings of the Dandenongs. Softly coloured, impressionistic and deeply felt, Gurdon’s work can be found at the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. 

 
To read a more in-depth biography of the artist, click here.