FARMER, ESME (1909-2002)

"Portrait Of A Young Woman" (1941)
oil on canvas
46 x 41cm
signed lower right
*private collection, Sydney
 
Farmer is a lost Australian Post-Impressionist. English-born Esme White migrated to Australia in 1913 with her family, where they settled in Perth. Her accountant father, disenchanted with Christianity, joined the Theosophical Society, becoming President. After attending the famous Sydney TS Convention in 1922, he decided to move to Sydney. Esme enrolled at North Sydney Girls School. The whole family arrived soon after, renting a flat at Cremorne. Shortly thereafter, Esme moved into the headquarters of the Theosophical Society, The Manor, Mosman, where she stayed until she completed her studies in 1933. In 1929, she was accepted into East Sydney Technical College, studying under Fred Leist, winning a figure painting competition. During this time she also embarked on several tours of India to further her training in Theosophy. In 1934, Esme relocated to London to study painting at the famous Royal College of the Arts, South Kensington, followed by the equally acclaimed St John's Wood Art School. When she returned in the late 1930s, she married respected Western Australian author, Frank Rhodes Farmer, & bore two children. They were based in Mona Vale on Sydney's Northern Beaches, & Esme produced several paintings of the local landscape; some were reproduced in the widespread 'Art In Australia' mag. In 1940, Esme held her first solo exhibition at the important Macquarie Galleries; responsible for launching the careers of Drysdale, Friend, Fairweather, Hinder, Gleeson, Rehfisch, Smart & Olley during this time. She displayed a series of landscapes & portraits, similar to this piece, in a Post-Impressionist style reminiscent of contemporaries Lina Bryans & Elise Blumann. She was a finalist in the Wynne Prize. In the mid-1940s, Esme separated from Frank, & she sought refuge in Wilson's Promontory Lighthouse in Victoria, where she continued to paint. She contributed works to the inaugural Velasquez Gallery exhibition, with Boyd, Perceval, Syme, Tucker, etc. She held a second exhibition at Kominksy's in 1946.