BAKER, ALAN DOUGLAS (1914-1987)

"Whale Beach, NSW" (c.1950) 
oil on board
cm
signed lower left
*private collection, Austinmer
 
Baker was a respected Australian Artist. He studied drawing at J.S. Watkins Art School, where he later became an instructor prior to World War II. He served in New Guinea between 1943-45. Following the war he became a prominent Commercial artist, specialising in advertising posters for alcohol companies such as Tooth's, K.B & Reschs. His advertisements are some of the most iconic in Australia, and have continued to be reproduced in modern pubs. He also became prolific and renowned for his vibrant still life paintings. He rarely did landscape paintings, especially of this scale!! He was a Fellow and Vice President of the Royal Art Society of New South Wales and on its Council for many years. He was also a trustee of the Marshall Bequest at the New South Wales Art Gallery. His works are in the New South Wales Art Gallery, the National Gallery - Canberra, Queensland Institute of Technology, the Hinton collection at Armidale, and many private and public collections. The Alan Baker Gallery was established in Camden in his honour.