Home of The Australian Guild of Realist Artists
Click the buttons below to watch history unfold - watch the 50th AGRA Anniversary Exhibition
The Australian Guild of Realist Artists was started 50 years ago by founders Kath Ballard, Kenneth Jack, Sir William Dargie and Paul Fitzgerald. It aimed to promote excellence in realist and traditional art. It was Kenneth Jack who coined the original name. Presidents over the years included Charles McCubbin to the oldest living president, Colin Johnson.
After the guild officially closed in June 2023, traditional oil painter Lulu Clifton-Evans revived it as a nationwide entity, with the help of artists nationwide. Countless hours were put into the rescue mission which included the creation of the hardcopy nationwide magazine, The AGRA Magazine, put together with the help of Mike Barr in Adelaide. After learning that Colin’s house had burnt to the ground with all his artwork and that his beloved guild had closed – it was a labour of love for Lulu who had studied with Colin for many years. Every member of her family, including her mother Mary McIsaac in New Zealand, helped with the job of emailing out votes to try to get a consensus to save AGRA. It was an enormous joy to see Colin hosting the 50th exhibition and especially to see him receive a replacement work for the one burnt in the house fire which was a 1965 anniversary present gifted by Kenneth Jack. The Jack family provided a replacement linocut print of Como House.
Thank you to every AGRA member who voted to save AGRA and supported this historic AGRA 50th Anniversary Exhibition. Thank you to the Victorian Artists Society for their support.
Lulu Clifton-Evans
Convenor/President
Past and present presidents (from left) Lulu Clifton-Evans, Lyn Mellady, Carole Milton, Colin Johnson, Thel Cardwell and Jan Lowe.
Val and Colin Johnson (front) receive a replacement wedding gift from David Jack and Heather Winstead - after a house fire took the original work.
A special moment with Colin and Val Johnson receiving a replacement Kenneth Jack work after the fire.
David Jack talks from the Kenneth Jack 100 - Treasures of a Lifetime Exhibition in the AGRA 50th Anniversary Exhibition
AGRA member and Mouth and Foot artist Geoff Dossetor is looking forward to creating cards for the Mouth & Foot Painting Artists Association
Convenor/President Lulu Clifton-Evans thanks AGRA members nationwide for their support in the re-emergence of AGRA nationwide.
Fourth generation artist Andrew Jack talks about learning art from his grandfather and AGRA Founder Kenneth Jack
Bob Senior talks about his early experience with AGRA at the historic 50th Anniversary Exhibition.
The Australian Guild of Realist Artists was formed in 1974 by the distinguished artists Sir William Dargie, Paul Fitzgerald AM, Kathlyn Ballard OAM and Kenneth Jack OAM, for the purpose of actively promoting and celebrating realist art in Australia.
Founders
Paul Fitzgerald AM, Kenneth Jack OAM, Kathlyn Ballard OAM, Sir William Dargie CBE
Presidents
Paul Fitzgerald AM, Charles McCubbin (decd), Colin Johnson AGRA, Neil Straub AGRA,Carole Milton, Thelma Cardwell AGRA, Lyn Mellady AGRAF, Alan Rawady AGRA, Rob La Nauze, Raymond Kenyon, Thelma Cardwell AGRA, Jan Lowe AGRA, Victoria Newnham, Ray Kenyon, Lulu Clifton-Evans
Current and past councillors (in approximate chronological order)
Paul Fitzgerald AM Kenneth Jack OAM , Kathlyn Ballard OAM Donald Cameron, Reshid Muspygade, Shirley Bourne, Sir William Dargie CBE, Bruce Fletcher, Allan Martin, Graham Moore, Charles McCubbin, Lance McNeill, Donald Nelson, Arnold Riches, Clifford Wood, Malcolm Cameron, John Borrack, Harold Fahey, Robert Miller, Van Balmain, Bill Beavan, Cromwell Beggs, Ramon Horsfield, Colin Johnson, Bill Walls, John Duncan Firth, Carol Harrison, Alfred Shaw, Richard Weatherly, Marie Weeks, Billi Ward, Kim Balmain, Barbara Beasley-Southgate, Terry Collins, Ted Berry, Thelma Cardwell, Audrey Sharp, Neil Straub, Muriel Balmain, Gil Brooks, Carole Milton, Allan Salisbury, Don Bladier, David Dearn, Warren Curry, Paul Margocsy, Ern Trembath, Ron Russell Fletcher, Di King, Herman Pekel, Kevin Taylor, Carl Anderson, Janet Matthews, Margaret Cromb, Lyn Mellady, John Mutsaers, Elizabeth East, Noreen Lubeck, Mark Thorpe, Barbara Wood, Andrew MacKenzie, John Baker,Ted Wynter, Patricia Delanty AGRA. Victoria Cook, John Thomas, Don James,Diana Edwards, Joel Magpayo AGRA, Do Noble, David Chen, Lorraine Davies, Sandra Harvie, Anna De Jonk, Ross Wenn, Lia Williams, Loyus Aikman, Ivan Dinsdale, Lesley McKenna, Bette Franke, Christine Cafarella Pearce, Helen Edwards, Velda Palazzi, Judith Deane, David Mellows, Lorraine Wigraft, Guy Cawton, Bill Berryman, Maree Holt, Evelyn Hales, Malcolm Webster, Betty Burns, Alan Rawady, Raelene Sharp, Ronald Jones, Clive Sinclair, KerryAnne Sullivan, Pam Adams, Peter Foster, Craig Penny, Maxine Wade, Regina Hona, Jan Lowe, Radmila Hardi, Kristina Foyster, Margaret Keogh, Rodger Scott, Rob La Nauze, Raymond Kenyon,Pamela Pretty,Kath McCann, Anne Melloy, Ian Pascoe, Kris Peter, Taff Richardson, Sue Bayre, Kylie Sirett, Karen Buckingham, Robert Knight Geoff Buckingham , Erif Vincent, Heather Peberdy, Vivi Palegeorge, Joseph Attard, Colin Peel , Victoria Newnham, Christine Hermans, Antoinette Blyth, Meredith Atkinson , Vicki McInnes, Bruce Walker, Margaret Young, Peter Gibson, Richard Page, Trish Bourke, Julie Goldspink, Nola Wilkinson, Karen van Ulzen, Kris Peter, Ros Godman, Lulu Clifton-Evans, Grace Paleg, Lyn Diefenbach, Christine Broersen, Patricia Walker, Fiona Bilbrough, Jan Pitman, John Baker, Catriona MacLaine