Image: Toss Woollaston in his studio, 1985. Photographer: Julian Bowron. The Suter
Art Gallery Archive.
Toss Woollaston (1910-1998) is regarded as one of the founders of 20th century
modern painting in New Zealand. He was born in Toko, Taranaki in 1910 and decided be become an
artist at age five, despite his mother's cautioning that "artists always starve". While living
and working for a year in Riwaka he saw his first exhibition - the Suter Art Society's Spring
Exhibition of 1928 at The Suter Art Gallery. He returned to Nelson to live in 1930 and remained
until 1950.
During the early 1930s he received tuition in Nelson from Hugh Scott who lived at Ruby Bay
and later attended the Canterbury School of Art for two terms. He also travelled to Dunedin to
study with the English painter Robert Nettleton Field (1899-1987). Field’s colleague, William
Allen (1894-1988) took the post of drawing master at Nelson College in 1933 and provided support
and instruction to Woollaston during this decade. The greatest artistic experience of his life
came, however, in Nelson in 1934 when he met Flora Scales (1887-1985) who had studied in Munich
with the great teacher Hans Hoffmann (1880-1986). The ideas she imparted about space construction
in painting were to form the basis of Woollaston's mature style. This year was also the first
mention of the artist in the records of the Nelson Suter Art Society as an exhibiting member.
In 1935 Woollaston became a member of The Group in Christchurch and exhibited with them for
many years. He left Nelson in 1950 for Greymouth where he took a job as a salesman but continued
to paint between sales. A grant from the Association of New Zealand Art Societies in 1958
enabled him to travel to Australia. A further grant in 1960 allowed him to paint full-time for
half a year. In 1961 he received a New Zealand Arts Council travel grant to visit galleries in
Europe and the United States. Upon his return, he had his first solo exhibition at The Suter Art
Gallery followed by an exhibition at Chez Eelco in 1964. Throughout, he continued to participate
in the Nelson Suter Art Society Spring and Autumn exhibitions.
Image: Sir Mountford Tosswill Woollaston (1910-1998). Mapua 1960. Oil on
board 740 x 1040mm. Gifted by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in
2004.
In the mid-1960s, Woollaston was selected for a series of modern painting exhibitions at the
Auckland Art Gallery which confirmed his reputation as a leading New Zealand artist. In 1968 he
returned to Riwaka and the large studio oils he made there are recognised as this most important
works. A touring retrospective developed by Luit Bieringa at the Manawatu Art Gallery in 1973
was the final seal of approval. In recognition of a lifetime's dedication to art he received a
knighthood in 1979 and was the first artist to be recognised by the New Zealand Government in
this way.