Ian Armstrong Born in 1923 in Malvern, Victoria, Ian Armstrong is a prolific painter and printmaker. He commenced training at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 1940. In 1943 he studied at the National Gallery School and later moved to the George Bell School where he studied intermittently between 1945 – 1949. Ian Armstrong met and befriended Fred Williams whilst studying at the National Gallery School. In 1946 Ian Armstrong, Fred Williams and another colleague Harry Rosengrave purchased a block of land at Lilydale. The three spent most weekends camping on their block and painting the surrounding landscape. In 1951 the trio held an exhibition of their work. Arnold Shore critiqued the exhibition for the Age newspaper. Shore’s article published in the February 1951, under the caption, ‘Exhilarating work by young artists’, described Armstrong as, ‘ the most accomplished craftsman and possibly the most talented artist of the trio’. In 1952 Ian Armstrong won a traveling scholarship and studied at the Slade in London. He returned to Australia and enrolled to study printmaking at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Fred Williams and Harry Rosengrave were among his classmates. A retrospective exhibition of Armstrong’s prints and paintings from 1941 to 1998 was mounted by Castlemaine Art Gallery. The exhibition was on tour throughout 1999 and into the year 2000. Catalogues of the exhibition are available from the Castlemaine Art Gallery. The catalogue contains high quality reproductions of Armstrong’s artwork and many candid studio photographs of Ian Armstrong, as well as photographs of him with Fred Williams and Harry Rosengrave. There are forwards by Armstrong’s former students including Jeremy Barret and Rick Amor. The extensively researched catalogue contains a detailed chronology, a comprehensive list of Awards that Armstrong has won, a list of exhibitions and an itemised list of works that are in public collections. Catalogues of the Ian Armstrong ‘Retrospective 1941 – 1998’ are obtainable from Castlemaine Art Gallery on 03 5472 2292, international 613 5472 2292. Ian Armstrong currently exhibits with Eastgate Gallery, Hawthorn. Eastgate Gallery is a commercial gallery. Viewing of works for sale may be arranged through Eastgate Gallery. Details of forthcoming commercial exhibitions of Armstrong’s water colours, gouaches, prints or paintings, may be obtained through Eastgate Gallery on 03 9818 1656, international 613 9818 1656. Further Information: Armstrong Newspaper Clippings