By the age of twenty-two, Nora Heysen was represented in Australia’s national institutions as an award-winning artist. As the daughter of Hans Heysen, she often questioned if it were her talent or her name that afforded her success, yet she is recorded as one of the longest continuously producing women artists in this country.

Perth author Anne-Louise Willoughby’s recently released official biography Nora Heysen: A Portrait explores the artist’s life and her approach to her work. Today Nora’s penetrating portraits are celebrated, but her life as career artist and portraitist was not smooth. She tasted phenomenal success early in her career winning the Melrose Prize for portraiture in 1933, and as the first woman to win the Archibald Prize in 1938 aged twenty-seven. It was a contentious win, rife with jealousy and open discrimination from her detractors.

Join Anne-Louise for an intimate discussion about Nora’s life, and her take on ‘getting a likeness’.

The Lester Inc and AGWA are proud to present this event as part of The Lester Prize 2019 Exhibition Season.

Discussion: 2.15pm (for 2.30pm start) – 3.30pm
Book signing: from 3.30pm