Farewell online auction for artist Annette Edwards

Australian artist and printmaker the late Annette Edwards was one of those people who found it natural to mix music, dance, dramatic and visual arts in a meld of painting and printmaking that has left a lasting impression on the Australian art scene.

Graduating in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Edwards was heavily influenced by one of her teachers George Baldessin (the ‘Baldessin Circle’ was influential in Melbourne’s printmaking culture) and probably swayed her decision to become a printmaker.

Five years later, she started teaching basic printmaking at the Centre of Adult Education where she met and married her second husband.

Shortly after, her existing studio facilities at their Warrandyte home were expanded, an etching press installed and Edwards explored various avenues in printmaking with an increasing technical and individual ability.

The artist kept working until her death from cancer in 2009 with her exhibition Diagonals at the Stephen McLaughlan Gallery in Melbourne closing the day before she died.

Edwards final canvas was Fallout, which proved to be a difficult image to bring to fruition and, because of her failing health, took a long time to complete.

Art lovers will now get the chance to obtain one of Edwards’ creations when more than 150 of her original works will be auctioned online from 7pm Sunday August 2 by Abbeys Auctions.

The auction will be notable for her large canvasses, framed prints and works on paper.

Some of the more significant works include the framed etching Binary Dancer II 1997 and the acrylic on linen Circus of Surprise 2002.

Another notable piece is the framed acrylic on linen The Screen 1993.

The auction opens for viewing and online pre-bids from 7pm Thursday July 23.