Robert Hannaford: Natural Eye

AUSTRALIAN ART

“Robert Hannaford – visual artist.”

• 103 p. : ill. ports. ; 29 cm. #041223
• SIGNED by Author and Artist
• Hannaford, Robert, 1944-
• Painters — South Australia — Biography
• Portrait painters — South Australia — Biography
• Artists — South Australia — Biography
• Although self-taught, Hannaford has benefited from the mentoring of South Australian artists Hans Heysen and Ivor Hele.^[3] He worked as political cartoonist for the Adelaide Advertiser from 1964 to 1967 (between Pat Oliphant and Michael Atchison), before becoming a full-time artist in 1970.^[4]

  Primarily known as a portrait artist, depicting the likes of Dame Joan Sutherland, Donald Bradman, Paul Keating, and Bob Hawke, he is also known for his landscapes, still lifes, nudes, and sculptures. He has commented on his portraiture that: “Portraiture is an exploration of character that goes beyond photography. It is an ongoing thing over a long period of time. You get elements of various emotions that can be sensed in the painting.”

  Hannaford first entered the Archibald Prize in 1991 with a portrait of Hugh Stretton. The portrait was shortlisted, and won the 1991/1992 People’s Choice Award. To 2018, 26 of his entries have been finalists in 21 of the competitions, and he has been a three-time winner of the People’s Choice Award – in 1992, 1996 and 1998.^[3]