Ninette Clarice Florence Dutton (née Trott) OAM (1923–2007), was an artist, broadcaster and author.[1] She was the wife of author Geoffrey Dutton.
Ninette Dutton was born in Adelaide. Her father's family operated a well-established dental practice, and her mother was a matron. Her grandfather was the portrait and landscape painter, George Webb.
She was educated at Creveen Girls School, North Adelaide, and Woodlands before enrolling to study Social Science at the University of Adelaide.
In 1944 she married the writer Geoffrey Dutton.[2] At the time, she was a driver in the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force. They lived in Melbourne for a time, where their friends included Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan, Max Harris and others associated with the Angry Penguins group.[3]
In 1946 the Duttons moved to Oxford, where Geoffrey studied English at Magdalen College. After Geoffrey finished his studies, the couple bought a Ford Pilot and drove to Australia via southern Europe, the Middle East and India. They eventually established themselves on a few hectares near Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills. With Geoffrey lecturing in English at the University of Adelaide, she set up a studio and began firing painted designs on tiles.
During the 1950s she worked in the Botany Library at Oxford and studied at the Ruskin School of Art and the couple travelled extensively and adventurously through Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Then, in 1962, with two children, the family spent three months in Kansas. It was at Kansas State University that Ninette discovered enamelling on copper, which was to become her main creative activity for four decades. Her ensuing enamel works were widely collected, and she wrote Beautiful Art of Enamelling in 1966.[4] Her works feature in collections across Australia, including the National Gallery of Victoria, the National Gallery of Australia, and the Orange Regional Gallery.[5] [6] [7]
Following the death of Geoffrey's mother-in-law, Emily Dutton, they lived at Anlaby Station, the Duttons' family property near Kapunda.
In early 1968 she saved the life of Patrick White, a dear friend, by holding on to his arm when he fell into a blowhole on Kangaroo Island.
Over the 1970s, 80s and 90s she published books and delivered radio programmes on cooking, flowers, gardening and the seasons, and for some years she wrote a column titled 'The Passionate Gardener' in the Advertiser, Adelaide.
When Anlaby was sold in 1977, the couple built a house near Eden Valley, closer to Adelaide. Ninette had a purpose-built studio and began serving on various arts and heritage boards, including the Arts Grants Advisory Committee and as a Trustee of the Board of Carrick Hill.
Dutton was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1994.[8]
Following her divorce from Geoffrey Dutton, she moved to Canberra in 1997, and to Leura five years later.
George Webb married Christina Elizabeth "Crissie" Lake (– 19 January 1930), daughter of John and Jane Ann Lake and step-daughter of George Rolfe (ca. 1837 – 10 September 1919) on 4 October 1892.
Their children were: