Walsh, Gwen Delores (1914 - 1958)
Born on 13 May 1914 at Royston Park (Adelaide), SA; died on 24 November 1958 in Royson Park, SA.
Artist for J.M.Black's 2nd edn of the Flora of South Australia (1943).
She also illustrated books and papers by Charles P. Mountford (1890-1976), including Australian Tree Portraits (1956).
She illustrated Bernard Cotton's book 'South Australian Shells' where she is listed as "artist, South Australian Museum".
Source: H.Hewson Australia - 300 Years of Botanical Illustration (1999)
She is listed as an expedition member in the SA Museum's expedition to Haasts Bluff, Central Australia (NT), 13 August, 1951 - 01 September, 1951.
An article in the Adelaide newspaper, News, Tue 13 Feb 1945, Page 7, reads:
"Museum Artist Likes Her Job
MISS GWEN D. WALSH,
Adelaide Museum's official artist, reproduces a
shell to go into the
Museum's records.
Her work, which also includes
photography, brings her in
contact with practically all sections of the Museum, although the
public sees very little of it. Much
of it goes into Museum records,
and into scientific papers.
Its variety is bewildering. With
equal ease she can produce a
fashion-plate painting of an Egyptian woman wearing a gown like
the remains of one found in a
mummy's tomb: make a microscopic sketch of some rare insect:
or photograph sets of teeth from
an aboriginal skull.
When new specimens come in
she often has to do a quick color
sketch of some particular part
which will lose color rapidly, so
as to guide the taxidermist.
Sometimes this means missing a
lunch hour, but little Miss Walsh
doesn't mind. She says she doubts
whether anyone could be as happy
in a job as she is.
Often duty takes her outdoors.
Last year she went on an eight
day trip to the South-East for the
Museum, during which she photographed a native camp site and
afterwards drew a detailed plan
from her pictures.
Work at present includes painting a tree background for one of
the Museum cases.
Miss Walsh nearly always uses
a microscope as she works because
her pictures must be to scale and
in extreme detail, but she finds
this no strain and doesn't wear
glasses.
Daughter of artistic parents, she
has been the Museum artist for
four years. Previously, she had
done drafting for her architect
father, Mr. E. Grant Walsh.
Hobbies fill her spare time outside work. She designs theatrical
costumes, collects stamps, reads a
lot, and looks after three Pekingese dogs."
Source: Extracted from:
www.findagrave.com/memorial/242336126/gwen-delores-walsh
www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collection/archives/provenances/series/aa346-43
News (Adelaide, SA) Tue 13 Feb 1945, Page 7, 'Museum Artist Likes Her Job'
Portrait Photo: seeking photo.
