Blanche Violet Maher was born in 1872 on a sheep station in Merriwa, NSW. The eldest of nine children she showed great talent in drawing and painting, and at the age of 20 became fascinated with photography – convincing her father to buy her a camera at age 21. Blanche, a petite woman, became known for stoically lugging this bulky piece of equipment around the farm, as she sought to capture her world. Her wet and dry collodion plate photographs document daily life on the property in a series of charming vignettes of landscapes, social scenes and portraits. This marks the first public exhibition of her work, a poignant tribute to the inventive, curious, and pioneering spirit she embodied.
Blanche Violet Maher: Landscapes and Portraits 1894 – 1920 is curated by Julia Booth and Rachel Knepfer.
This project is supported by the Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf Community Exhibitions Program.