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COLLECTION STRENGTHS
Tamworth Regional Gallery is home to the Tamworth Fibre Textile Biennial which showcases the best of fibre textile art from across the country every two years. Guest curators devise a theme based exhibition from artists working in the fibre textile medium. Tamworth Regional Gallery has a long held association with fibre textile art dating back to the 1970’s. For more information on the Tamworth Fibre Textile Biennial visit the gallery website at www.tamworthregionalgallery.com.au
Early 20th century Australian and European works are another strength of Tamworth Regional Gallery with two significant bequests establishing the gallery in the early 1900’s.
The John Salvana Collection (1919) contains over one hundred paintings and works on paper. The Burdekin Bequest (1961) is a significant collection of works collected locally by the Burdekin family and includes works by Hans Heysen, Nora Heysen, Will Ashton, Elioth Gruner and Sidney Long.
In 1967 the Lyttleton Taylor family of Tamworth donated the Regan Silver Collection, which contains some of the best known examples of early Australian silver. Significant works by Evan Jones, Christian Ludwig Quist and HS Steiner are included. This collection is on permanent display in the gallery foyer.
The Utopia Collection Bequest
Like many other public galleries in Australia Aboriginal art had no part in the earliest history of the Tamworth Regional Gallery collection. Therefore the Utopia Collection Bequest which was received in 1999 is not only a unique collection of historically and culturally important works from Utopia, but also a significant development for the gallery.
The Utopia Collection Bequest consists of thirteen batik silks, four acrylic paintings on paper, five silk screen prints, six etchings and acquatints, and six wooden carved ceremonial figures.
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From the Collection
James Alexander Crisp
Born 1879 Australia
Died 1962 Australia
Kurrajong Heights not dated
Watercolour on paper
Image 280mm x 245mm
Signed lower left corner James Crisp, Kurrajong Heights
Gift of John Salvana 1919 TRG 1961.136
James Crisp was the son of Henry James Crisp and his wife Elizabeth Teresa Armstrong born at Waterloo Sydney in 1879.
Crisp studied with John Samuel Watkins and Harry Garlick at Watkin’s art school in Sydney. His illustrations were first exhibited at the Royal Art Society of NSW exhibition in 1901. Following the trend of the period he began to paint Art Nouveau watercolour landscapes in 1906 and by 1911 was producing watercolours of bush genre. Primarily Crisp was an illustrator and printer he was a member of the Australian Painter-Etchers Society and was represented at the 1924 Wembley Exhibition.
Crisp like many of NSW’s early twentieth century artists found work as a commercial illustrator. He worked for The Bulletin and notably illustrated his friend Henry Lawson's short stories.
Crisp lived alternatively in Sydney and California for a number of years and exhibited with both with the Royal Art Society in Sydney and the Printmakers' Society of California. Crisp also contributed illustrations to USA journals such as Sunset and Wasp. As a printer he regularly exhibited with the Printmakers' Society of California during the years 1926 - 1937.
Whilst not a major artist, Crisp’s work is important in a historical context for his paintings, etchings and drawings depict areas surrounding Sydney that have changed considerably over the years. In some instances Crisp’s depiction of a building or locality may be the only remaining visual record.
Image Below James Alexander Crisp Kurrajong Heights not dated watercolour on paper Image PDB
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