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.