Pamela Lofts Explained

Pamela Lofts (9 August 1949 – 4 July 2012), also known as Pam Lofts, was an Australian children's book illustrator and exhibiting artist based in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. She is best remembered as the illustrator of the Australian classic children's books, Wombat Stew by Marcia Vaughan and Koala Lou by Mem Fox.^[1] Although known for her book illustrations, she was also a photographer, painter, and sculptor.

Biography

Lofts was one of two children born to Dorothy and Rory Lofts.^[2]

Lofts first moved to Alice Springs in 1980.^[3] In response to a lack of contemporary arts activity in Alice Springs, she and four other local artists, established an artists-run initiative called Watch This Space in 1993.^[4] Lofts became its first coordinator.^[5]

During the 1980s, Lofts illustrated some of Australia's best known children's books, including Marcia Vaughan's Wombat Stew in 1985 which has been widely translated and inspired a series of children's road safety posters in New South Wales. It has also been voted the most popular book in the children's book awards' KOALA Hall of Fame with 13 nominations.^[6] She also worked closely with children's author Mem Fox, illustrating Koala Lou, Hunwick's Egg and Sail Away: The Ballad of Skip and Nell.

Lofts was a successful exhibiting artist in the mediums of drawing, painting and performance who had 27 solo shows across Australia from 1992 to 2002 and was also represented in almost 70 group exhibitions including four Togart Contemporary Art Award exhibitions.^[7] She was also visiting artist at the Australian National University's National Institute for the Arts in 2002. Her work is held in the collection of Araluen Arts Centre.^[8]

Lofts died 4 July 2012,^[9] having had Motor Neurone Disease for two years.^[10]

Selected works

Books

• Wombat Stew by Marcia Vaughan (1984) - illustrator
• An Aboriginal Story series (1980s) -
  • How the birds got their colours told by Mary Albert (1983) - compiled by
  • How the kangaroos got their tails told by George Mung Mung Lirrmiyarri (1983) - compiled by
  • Dunbi the owl told by Daisy Utemorrah (1983) - compiled by
  • The echidna and the shade tree told by Mona Green (1984) - retold and illustrated by
  • When the snake bites the sun told by David Mowaljarlai (1984) - compiled by
  • Warnayarra the Rainbow Snake: an Aboriginal story told by the Senior Boys Class, Lajamanu School (1987) - compiled by
  • The kangaroo and the porpoise: an Aboriginal story told by Agnes Lippo (1987) - compiled by
  • The bat and the crocodile: an Aboriginal story told by Jacko Dolumyu and Hector Jandany (1987) - compiled by
• Sail Away: The Ballad of Skip and Nell by Mem Fox (1986) - illustrator
• Koala Lou by Mem Fox (1988) - illustrator
• Yarrtji: Six Women's Stories from the Great Sandy Desert (1997) by Tjama Freda Nappanangka, Payi Payi Napangarti, Martingale Mudgedel Napanangka, Kuninyi Rita Nampitjin, Nanyuma Rosie Napurrula, Millie Skeen Nampitjin; compiled and edited by Sonja Peter; translations by Tjama Freda Napanangka, Patricia Lee Napangarti - compiled and edited by
• Hunwick's Egg by Mem Fox (2005) - illustrator

Artwork

Lofts' work is held in the following permanent collections:

• Araluen Arts Centre (Mightbe Somewhere),^[11]
• National Centre for Australian Children's Literature (illustrations related to the book Hunwick's Egg),^[12] (illustrations related to the book Koala Lou),^[13] (illustrations related to the book Sail Away),^[14]

Her (created with Pip McManus) sculpture Storyleaves is displayed in the Public Art Precinct, Alice Springs Airport.^[15]

Awards

• 2005 Kids Own Australian Literature Awards (KOALA) - Picture Book shortlist for Hunwick's Egg,
• 2004 Young Australian Best Book Awards (YABBA) for Wombat Stew,^[16]
• 1998 New South Wales Premier's History Prize - General History Prize shortlist for Yarrtji: Six Women's Stories from the Great Sandy Desert,^[17]

Exhibitions

• Obscured by Light (2012), Araluen Arts Centre^[18]
• Old Stories Our Stories Now Stories (2021, 2022), Araluen Arts Centre^[19]
• Groundrush (group) (2018), Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Gorman Arts Centre^[20]

Legacy

Following her death Lofts made a bequest to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, which is funded by the royalties from her books, and this bequest has already resulted in The Yirara Mix Book,^[21] written and illustrated by students of Yirara College in Alice Springs.

Watch This Space's annual Lofty Awards, which recognise an individual's contribution to the arts in Alice Springs ("The Pam Lofts Award for High Endeavour in Central Australian Contemporary Art"^[22]), are named after her.^{[23] [24]}

Institutions that hold ephemera relating to Lofts include the State Library of Victoria, and the Art Gallery of NSW.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pamela Lofts. Reading. Better. BETTER READING. en. 2019-11-03.
2. Web site: 2012-07-13. Pamela LOFTS Death Notice. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210821184304/https://tributes.smh.com.au/obituaries/40255/pamela-lofts/. 2021-08-21. 2021-08-21. Sydney Morning Herald.
3. Web site: Pamela Lofts, 1949 – 2012 – Alice Springs News. en-US. 2020-01-16.
4. Web site: Our History. Watch This Space. en-US. 2019-11-03.
5. Web site: An artist for our place and time – Alice Springs News. Mcmanus. Pip. en-US. 2019-11-03.
6. Web site: Hall of Fame. KOALA. en-US. 2020-01-16.
7. Web site: pam lofts eyeline contemporary art magazine australia. www.eyelinepublishing.com. 2020-01-16.
8. Web site: Pamela Lofts Araluen Arts Centre. araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au. 2020-01-16.
9. Web site: Alice arts identity dies. Sleath. Emma. 2012-07-05. www.abc.net.au. en-AU. 2020-01-16.
10. Web site: Pamela Lofts. www.penguin.com.au. en. 2019-11-03.
11. Web site: Mightbe Somewhere (from the Threshold series) . araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au . Araluen Arts Centre . 31 March 2022.
12. Web site: NCACL Art Project Artist:Pamela Lofts. Compiled by Max Brown . December 2011 . www.ncacl.org.au . National Centre for Australian Children's Literature . 31 March 2022.
13. Web site: NCACL Art Project Artist:Pamela Lofts . Compiled by Max Brown. December 2011 . www.ncacl.org.au . National Centre for Australian Children's Literature . 31 March 2022.
14. Web site: NCACL Art Project Artist:Pamela Lofts . Compiled by Max Brown. March 2014 . www.ncacl.org.au . National Centre for Australian Children's Literature . 31 March 2022.
15. Chris Raja . May 2011 . Northern Territory: Sculpture Takes Flight . 60 . 239. Art Monthly Australasia . Art Monthly Australia . 31 March 2022.
16. Web site: YABBA Hall of Fame . yabba.org.au . Young Australians Best Book Awards Council . 31 March 2022.
17. Web site: Pamela Lofts: Awards for Works . austlit.edu.au . . 31 March 2022.
18. News: Kieran Finnane . 15 March 2012 . Antics and elegy guide tour into a bright land of shifting shadows and memories . Alice Springs News . 11 April 2022.
19. Web site: Old Stories Our Stories Now Stories . mutualart.com . 11 April 2022.
20. News: Sally Priorar . 11 April 2018 . Capital Life: Goldmine at Gorman . The Canberra Times . 11 April 2022.
21. Web site: Bequest yields first book and 'a true message to Australia' – Alice Springs News. Murphy. Dan. en-US. 2019-11-03.
22. Web site: The Annual Lofty Awards . Watch This Space . 28 November 2022.
23. Web site: Artist remembered in annual award night – Alice Springs News. en-US. 2019-11-03.
24. Web site: The Annual Lofty Awards. Watch This Space. en-US. 2020-01-16.