Heather Dorrough b. 1933

Also known as Heather Denise Blake-Smith
  • Maker (Jewellery Designer),
  • Artist (Printmaker),
  • Artist (Sculptor),
  • Artist (Painter),
  • Artist (Textile Artist / Fashion Designer),
  • Artist (Installation Artist)
Contemporary painter, print maker and sculptor. Dorrough was born in London in 1933 and came to Australia in 1961. She is well known for her textile wall hangings, titled 'Twelve Hangings' (1980) held in NSW Parliament House.
Tags: Fabric art, Wearable art, Artist working with architects
You are viewing the version of bio from July 10, 2012, 9:11 p.m. , as edited by Joanna Mendelssohn (moderator approved).
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Born in London in 1933, Heather Dorrough came to Australia in 1961. In 1952 she received a National Diploma of Art and Design from the Eastbourne College of Art, England, and in 1956 she gained an Interior Design Degree from the Royal college of Art in London, England. Before moving to Australia Dorrough worked as an interior designer in London and New York. After moving to Australia she studied at the City Art Institute, Sydney, where she graduated with a Masters of Visual Art in 1984. In 2000 she studied Renaissance Painting Techniques at the Charlie Shead Studio School, Sydney, NSW.

Dorrough works across different media including drawing, painting, printmaking (particularly etching) and sculpture. Dorrough is well known for her textile wall hangings, titled Twelve Hangings (1980) held in NSW Parliament House, depicting botanic images, as she is for her permanent mixed media installation of life-sized convict silhouettes, Convict Shadows (1991), at The Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney, NSW.

In 1987 Dorrough was awarded an Overseas Fellowship Grant Residency in Italy by the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council. In 1984 she received the Post Graduate Award for work towards her Masters Degree from the Commonwealth Department of Education. In 1978 Dorrough received a Senior Fellowship from the Craft Board of the Australia Council and in 1975 she was awarded a grant also from the Craft Board of the Australia Council. In 1956 Dorrough was awarded a Travelling Scholarship from the Royal College of Art, London, and she also won the Silver Medal from the College the same year.

Dorrough is represented in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Ararat Gallery, Parliament House, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (Powerhouse), Queensland Art Gallery, West Australian Art Gallery, Tamworth Art Gallery, Wollongong Art Gallery, The Orange City Collection, Arts Victoria Festival Collection, Melbourne Stage College Collection, NSW Kindergarten Teachers Union Study Collection and the Historic Houses Trust.

Dorrough has completed commissions for the Regent Hotel, Sydney; Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney; Bond University, Queensland; IBM Australia; and NSW Parliament House, Sydney.

Writers:
Stella Downer
Date written:
2007
Last updated:
2011

Difference between this version and previous

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Date modified July 10, 2012, 9:11 p.m. Oct. 19, 2011, 12:56 p.m.
Roles
  • Maker (Jewellery Designer)
  • Artist (Printmaker)
  • Artist (Sculptor)
  • Artist (Painter)
  • Artist (Textile Artist / Fashion Designer)
  • Artist (Installation Artist)
  • Maker (Jewellery Designer)
  • Artist (Printmaker)
  • Artist (Sculptor)
  • Artist (Painter)
Other occupations
  • interior designer
  • interior designer (interior designer London and New York)
Tags
  • Fabric art
  • Wearable art
  • Artist working with architects
Alternative names
  • Heather Denise Blake-Smith
Arrivals
  • 1961
  • 1961
Related people
  • Dorrough, Kate (parent of)
  • Dorrough, Kate (parent of)
Related person groups
  • Stella Downer Fine Art, NSW (associate of)
  • Stella Downer Fine Art, NSW (associate of)
Related works
  • Convict shadows (creator of)
  • Bird brooch; bird of paradise (creator of)
  • Convict shadows (creator of)
  • Bird brooch; bird of paradise (creator of)
Related collections
  • Historic Houses Trust, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • NSW Kindergarten Teachers Union Study Collection, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • Melbourne Stage College Collection, Melbourne, VIC (collected in)
  • Arts Victoria Festival Collection, VIC (collected in)
  • The Orange City Collection, Orange, NSW (collected in)
  • Wollongong Art Gallery, Wollongong, NSW (collected in)
  • Tamworth Art Gallery, Tamworth, NSW (collected in)
  • West Australian Art Gallery, Perth, WA (collected in)
  • Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, QLD (collected in)
  • Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • Parliament House, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • Ararat Gallery, Ararat, VIC (collected in)
  • National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, VIC (collected in)
  • National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT (collected in)
  • Historic Houses Trust, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • NSW Kindergarten Teachers Union Study Collection, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • Melbourne Stage College Collection, Melbourne, VIC (collected in)
  • Arts Victoria Festival Collection, VIC (collected in)
  • The Orange City Collection, Orange, NSW (collected in)
  • Wollongong Art Gallery, Wollongong, NSW (collected in)
  • Tamworth Art Gallery, Tamworth, NSW (collected in)
  • West Australian Art Gallery, Perth, WA (collected in)
  • Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, QLD (collected in)
  • Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • Parliament House, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • Ararat Gallery, Ararat, VIC (collected in)
  • National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, VIC (collected in)
  • National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT (collected in)
Related recognitions
  • Overseas Fellowship Grant - Residency in Italy, Visual Arts Board, Australia Council (received)
  • Postgraduate Award for work towards MA Degree, Commonwealth Department of Education (received)
  • Senior Fellowship - Craft Board, Australia Council (received)
  • Grant, Craft Board, Australia Council (received)
  • Travelling Scholarship - Royal College of Art (received)
  • Overseas Fellowship Grant - Residency in Italy, Visual Arts Board, Australia Council (received)
  • Postgraduate Award for work towards MA Degree, Commonwealth Department of Education (received)
  • Senior Fellowship - Craft Board, Australia Council (received)
  • Grant, Craft Board, Australia Council (received)
  • Travelling Scholarship - Royal College of Art (received)
Related events
  • Untitled Event (exhibited at)
  • Dangar Island: Paintings and Prints (exhibited at)
  • Covert Covers: The Lie of the Land (exhibited at)
  • Self Portraits (exhibited at)
  • Drawings (exhibited at)
  • The Wollombi Farm Series (exhibited at)
  • Wearable Art (Travelling Exhibition) (exhibited at)
  • Wearable Works (exhibited at)
  • Large Scale Fabric Works (exhibited at)
  • Untitled Event (exhibited at)
  • Dangar Island: Paintings and Prints (exhibited at)
  • Covert Covers: The Lie of the Land (exhibited at)
  • Self Portraits (exhibited at)
  • Drawings (exhibited at)
  • The Wollombi Farm Series (exhibited at)
  • Wearable Art (Travelling Exhibition) (exhibited at)
  • Wearable Works (exhibited at)
  • Large Scale Fabric Works (exhibited at)
Field Changes
Biography
Indigenous notes