Hector Gilliland Explained

Hector Beaumont Gilliland (1911–2002)^[1] was an Australian artist, best known for watercolor landscapes.

Gilliland was born in Tasmania and educated at Sydney Technical High School,^[2] living at Leichhardt.^[3] In 1934 he was appointed draftsman with the Registrar-General's department,^[4] following a six-months' probation, and joined the Commonwealth Public Service in 1942,^[5] based in Canberra.

While training as a surveyor and draftsman he was studying art part-time and at night classes.^[6] His Summer Morning was purchased by the National Gallery of NSW in 1944^[7] His 1946 watercolors Windy Day, Canberra and Corkhills were noticed by the SMH art critic and given equivocal approval^[8] and perhaps the same critic noticed his River Bank in 1947, re-echoing the thought that he had fallen short of Cezanne's "cubist ideals".^[9]

Gilliland helped re-establish the Artists' Society of Canberra and was its Secretary and/or President 1945–1952. In 1950 another member, Victor Forstmann had his portrait of Gilliland accepted for Archibald Prize judging.^[10] He was a member of the Watercolour Institute from 1944 to at least 1979.^[11]

Gilliland is represented at the National Gallery, Canberra, state galleries of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, and many large regional galleries including Newcastle, Launceston, Bendigo and Bathurst.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hector Gilliland . Design and Arts Australia Online . 23 November 2023.
2. News: Boys . . 28,411 . New South Wales, Australia . 25 January 1929 . 23 November 2023 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
3. News: Final Solution . . 6117 . New South Wales, Australia . 19 June 1930 . 23 November 2023 . 17 . National Library of Australia.
4. News: Special Gazette . . 40 . New South Wales, Australia . 2 March 1934 . 23 November 2023 . 1113 . National Library of Australia.
5. News: Architect's Claims . . 21 . 6,181 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 30 January 1947 . 23 November 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
6. News: Less Says More . . 83 . 52 . New South Wales, Australia . 2 September 1976 . 23 November 2023 . 14 . National Library of Australia.
7. News: National Gallery Buys Eight Pictures . . IX . 127 . New South Wales, Australia . 17 August 1944 . 23 November 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
8. News: Water Colours Lack Imagination . . 33,876 . New South Wales, Australia . 20 July 1946 . 23 November 2023 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
9. News: Daring Works Among Watercolours . . 34,188 . New South Wales, Australia . 19 July 1947 . 23 November 2023 . 14 . National Library of Australia.
10. News: Artists' Society . . 25 . 7216 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 17 January 1951 . 23 November 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
11. Book: Artists and Galleries of Australia and New Zealand . Max Germaine . Lansdowne Editions . 1979 . 0868320196 . 216.