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Olive Kathleen Crane

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Olive Crane
Born9 May 1895
Ashfield, Sydney
Died13 June 1935
EducationJulian Ashton
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
Known forWatercolours, Cartoons
SpouseKenneth Robertson Macqueen

Olive Kathleen Crane (9 May 1895 – 13 June 1935) was an Australian artist, known for book illustrations and etchings. She was married to watercolorist Kenneth Macqueen.

History

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1917 Advertisement

Crane was born in Ashfield, Sydney, the youngest daughter of Jane Harrold Crane ( – 1 November 1927) and Walter G. Crane, of "Winsley", 80 Shirley Road, Wollstonecraft, Sydney. She was educated at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, where she was a highly successful student.[1] She went on to Sydney University, graduating BA in 1917. She studied drawing at Julian Ashton's school under Albert Collins, counted with Grace Crowley and Myra Cocks as Ashton's "younger skilled brigade".[2] In parallel with her academic career, she studied pianoforte, with considerable, if not outstanding, success. She showed ability as an artist and designer of greeting cards, winning a Christmas card competition in 1917,[3] which led to commercial success, and won for her a "reputation for delicate and fanciful workmanship". Packs of six topically humorous greeting cards, bearing her name, went on sale alongside stationery from May Gibbs and C. J. Dennis.[4] At the age of 22 "Olive Crane" was a household name. She was called on to illustrate bookplates[5] and books for children, such as The City of Riddle-Me-Ree (1918) by Zora Cross,[6] The Betty Songs by N. J. Cocks, and others of Angus & Robertson's stable. She later did work for Chatto & Windus.[7]

But she was not to be defined by her cartoon work, no matter how popular and lucrative. She showed several watercolors in the Society of Artists' exhibition in 1920. One, The Tired Dancer, was purchased by the National Art Gallery of NSW,[8] and later reproduced in Art in Australia. She was able to travel to Europe and London for further study, advancing her reputation as a serious artist, and creating a favorable impression at the Kensington Art School.[9] Among works created during this time was the etching Jeune homme las (Tired Young Man, 1924), which in 1994 was purchased by the National Gallery of Australia.[10] She returned to Australia in 1926 and married farmer and watercolor artist Kenneth Macqueen, painting together in their spare time and supporting him financially while he was struggling for recognition. She contributed to few exhibitions in this period, and gave birth to two children. She died in the months following the second birth.

Personal

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On 2 April 1926 Crane married Kenneth Robertson Macqueen[11] They had two children, Marion and Revan. She died a few months after the birth of the son, and her sister Mildred helped Macqueen raise the family.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "The Schools". The Daily Telegraph. No. 8863. New South Wales, Australia. 18 December 1906. p. 4. Retrieved 31 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ Joseph Eisenberg. "Olive Crane b. 9 May 1895". Design and Art Australia Online. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  3. ^ "War Chest Christmas Card Competition". The Sydney Mail. Vol. XI, no. 287. New South Wales, Australia. 26 September 1917. p. 33. Retrieved 31 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Advertising". The Southern Mail. Vol. 30, no. 92. New South Wales, Australia. 20 November 1917. p. 2. Retrieved 31 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Arts and Crafts". The Age. No. 23, 548. Victoria, Australia. 29 September 1930. p. 11. Retrieved 1 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Latest Australian Publications". The Narrogin Observer and Williams District Representative. Vol. XIII, no. 708. Western Australia. 23 November 1918. p. 5. Retrieved 31 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Clever Illustrator". The Brisbane Courier. No. 21, 592. Queensland, Australia. 9 April 1927. p. 22. Retrieved 1 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Society of Artists Exhibition". The Sydney Mail. Vol. XVII, no. 443. New South Wales, Australia. 22 September 1920. p. 13. Retrieved 1 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Starting a Tradition". Table Talk. No. 3155. Victoria, Australia. 25 October 1928. p. 30. Retrieved 1 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Olive Crane — Jeune homme las". National Gallery of Australia. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 27, 856. New South Wales, Australia. 16 April 1927. p. 10. Retrieved 30 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ Stephen Rainbird (2000). Australian Dictionary of Biography: Macqueen, Kenneth Robertson (1897–1960). National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
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