Melbourne artist works among strong auction attractions

Some of the works by well-know artist Jean Carson Gray (who died in 2012) will be part of Amanda Addams Auctions latest sale from 6.30pm Monday at 344 High Street, Kew.

Born in 1927, she completed a diploma in commercial art at what was then Swinburne Technical College, before finishing postgraduate studies in fine arts in Glasgow.

Back in Australia, Gray taught art at Victorian Arts and Geelong Grammar and from the mid-1960s regularly mounted regular exhibitions – with much of her work acquired by regional galleries throughout Victoria.

As a single mother supporting three sons, she was able to find regular work as a commercial artist and, according to one of her sons Stewart Davies, was still exhibiting paintings and sculptures until 12 months before her death.

Gray was well known in Australian art circles and a popular member of various bodies including the Victorian Woodcarving Society, Women’s Painters and Sculptors Association, Victorian Art Society and Malvern Artist Society.

Examples of her works in the auction include bronzes of a kangaroo and girl’s head from her original woodcarvings.

Auction goers will be interested in the 1889-1900 Emile Galle cameo vase and a pre-1940 pair of Chinese Cloisonné vases.

Other items to attract buyers include an antique French black marble and bronze mantel clock, a French Sevres style jewel casket, and 18-carat white gold and emerald ring and 18-carat white gold tanzanite and diamond ring, along with an Omega Seamaster gents gold watch.

Collectors will be keen on a William Rickett’s Aboriginal child’s head sculpture (one of four of his works in the auction), while among the paintings is a Kenneth Jack watercolour entitled Daylesford and an antique oval portrait of a young woman.