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Join us for this presentation as author David Rathgen delves into the life and legacy of Walter Withers (1854-1914), a significant yet often overlooked figure in Australian art.
Join us for this presentation as author David Rathgen delves into the life and legacy of Walter Withers (1854-1914), a significant yet often overlooked figure in Australian art. A key member of the Heidelberg School, Withers was a pioneering landscape artist who captured the unique beauty of Australia in its own colors. His journey is shaped by his family's transformation from humble Birmingham origins to wealth and status through tobacco and twine, a shift that created tensions with his artistic ambitions.
In this book, I explore how Walter Withers developed his artistic talent, his decision to pursue painting as a career, and the factors that led him to choose Australia as his artistic home. Through his travels across Victoria—from the Bellarine to Ballarat—Withers painted a vibrant portrait of Australia, forever marking his place in the history of Australian art.
Ocean Grove is the largest town on the Bellarine and boasts a long library history – a free library opened in the public hall in 1910 and our current library was opened as part of The Grove Centre in 1993. This busy library has frequent children’s activities enlivening the space and reflecting the diverse demographics of our community.