Dobell House...Lots to See in the Dobell House Exhibition

A Lot To See In the Dobell House Exhibition

THE EXHIBITION AT SIR WILLIAM DOBELL’S HOME AND STUDIO

Situated on the shores of beautiful Lake Macquarie is the Nation Heritage listed Dobell House, the home and studio of the later Sir William Dobell, one of Australia’s most famous painters. The home and its contents offer a unique experience of the life and work of Wangi’s “Gentle Genius”.

An extensive exhibition, “Dobell, his Life and Art”, is permanently on display. It is made up of 5 panels dedicated to Dobell’s life interspersed with 60 images of his works from 1927 to the time of his death in 1970. A further 8 panels, displaying 85 images, highlight the four major eras of his work – London, Sydney, New Guinea and Wangi. This exhibition was funded by a grant from the N.S.W. Ministry for the Arts under its 2001 Museums Program.

Dobell’s furniture and memorabilia, left in the house by the executors of the Will, were purchased by Lord and Lady Casey, Governor General of Australia and close friends of Sir William, and given to the Committee. These items remain on display throughout the house. Much of this furniture, including a Brinsmead grand piano (thought to have been given to Dobell by Camille Geysen in return for painting his portrait) and the house, have been restored by Federal and State Government grants and local government loans. The piano is now the centre-piece of musical entertainment in Dobell House.

Dobell’s beloved garden has been reinstated with the help of an ABC Open Garden Scheme Community Grant. For the first time since 1970, the garden is now fully accessible for visitors to enjoy the peace and solitude so valued by Dobell. It remains a cool and green oasis. It contains many of the original Dobell plantings, including trees grown from seeds by Dobell.

OTHER ACTIVITIES HELD AT DOBELL HOUSE

Art

Dobell House Art Group meets each Tuesday morning
School holiday art programmes
Primary and Secondary art competitions

Exhibitions and other activities

Dobell House folk music group gather on the first Sunday of each month and host numerous other performances
Musical events featuring regional and Sydney performers
Exhibitions by regional and Sydney artists
Annual exhibition of children’s art
Annual Arts and Crafts Exhibition

Various creative textile art exhibitions
Creative Embroiderers and Textile Artists
Hunter Knitters Guild
Quilter’s Guild Hunter Group exhibition