Maxwell Edward Sell b. 1929 Wallendbeen, NSW

Also known as:
  • M Sell
  • Max Sell
  • Artist (Painter)
Maxwell Edward "Max" Sell, born in 1929, Australian painter, secondary-school teacher of art, and Inspector of Schools (Art). One of the founders of ARTEXPRESS.
Talk | Version history | Updated Oct. 19, 2011 | Created Jan. 1, 2009
Name
Maxwell Edward Sell
Also known as:
  • M Sell
  • Max Sell
Birth date
1929
Birth place
Wallendbeen, NSW
Gender
Male
Roles
  • Artist (Painter)
Residence
  • Coolum Beach, Qld 4573.
Other Occupation
  • Inspector of Schools (Art)
  • School teacher of art
Active Period
  • 1960-1969
Cultural Heritage
  • Australian
Languages
  • English
Training
  • 1948- 1951 East Sydney Technical College, Sydney, NSW
Is Indigenous
No

Maxwell Edward 'Max’ Sell was born in 1929 in Wallendbeen, 22 km north of Cootamundra, NSW, the son of Edward Joseph Sell (1901-1966) and Ethel Sell, née Hines. He married Muriel Hope Sell, née Thomson, in 1953. They have two sons and two daughters.

Sell trained at East Sydney Technical College, Sydney, NSW, taking a four-year Teachers’ Art Course, 1948-1951. He then became a NSW secondary-school art teacher. His appointments included teacher of art at Broken Hill High School, NSW, 1953-1955. Other schools included Camden Central, Hornsby Girls’ High and Narrabeen Girls’ High. He was Inspector of Schools (Art) in NSW from 1970 to 1987. Sell was involved in founding the ARTEXPRESS exhibition (ARTEXPRESS is an annual exhibition of artworks created by students from government and non-government schools for the Higher School Certificate Examination in Visual Arts in NSW). He also helped to develop and co-ordinate the Visual Arts Curriculum K-12. Sell retired from art education in 1987, but remained an active painter. The Sells moved to Queensland about 1991 and now live in Coolum Beach, Qld 4573.

Sell paints in acrylics and oils in semi-realistic, cubist, and abstract styles. His subject matter includes landscape abstractions, and people. He was influenced by Antoni Tàpies (born 1923), a Spanish texture painter, and Elwyn Lynn (1917-1997), Australian painter. His usual signature is: M. SELL.

Writers:
Fred Rost
Date written:
2009
Last updated:
2011
associate of
Frank Hinder
1906
Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator), Artist (Printmaker), Artist (Painter)
Teacher
associate of
Wallace Thornton
1915
Artist (Painter)
Teacher
child of
1901-1966 Edward Joseph Sell
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
child of
Ethel née Hines Sell
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
spouse of
Muriel Hope née Thomson Sell
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
Gordon Rintoul
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
Contemporary Art Society
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
NSW Department of Education
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
Silver King Service Station
Oil on board. Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, Broken Hill, NSW.
Heavy day in the Wallum
Date
2003
Private collection
Cool change
Date
1967
Painting. Manly Art Gallery and Museum, Manly, NSW.
Split
Date
1967
Mixed media
Broken Hill Mine
Date
1954
Oil on board, 48 x 71 cm. Private collection, Sydney.
Collections
To the Wallum
2003
Exhibition (exhibited at)
Noosa Gallery. Noosa, QLD
The Emperor Has All the Clothes
2000
Exhibition (exhibited at)
Noosa Gallery, Noosa, QLD
Insight and Outlook
1998
Exhibition (exhibited at)
Noosa Gallery, Noosa, QLD
Two art exhibitions, in conjunction with a photographer, a watercolourist and a craftsperson
1990- 1991
Exhibition (exhibited at)
Tramshed Arts and Community Centre, Narrabeen, NSW
Blake Prize for Religious Art, Sydney, NSW
1966
Exhibition (exhibited at)
None
1966- 1981
Exhibition (exhibited at)
El Dorado Gallery, Sydney, NSW.
Recognitions
First prize for an oil painting in the Broken Hill Art Competition
1955
Award
Note: First prize
Citations:
  • Owners of works
  • Max Sell