Karna Maria Birmingham

Karna Maria Birmingham (3 December 1900 – 5 July 1987)^[1] was an Australian artist, illustrator and print maker.^[2] She was best known for her numerous illustrations of children's books.^[3]

Karna Birmingham
Born	(1900-12-03)3 December 1900 Mosman, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Died	5 July 1987(1987-07-05) (aged 86) Neutral Bay, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Occupation	Artist & Illustrator

Life and training

Birmingham was born in the Sydney suburb of Mosman, the daughter of Irish doctor and published black & white artist.^[4] Herbert Joseph Birmingham, and Karn Marie Nielsen, a Dane and her father's live-in maid. After completing school at Loreto, Kirribilli, Birmingham went on to study at the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney from 1914 - 1920.^[3]

Birmingham married twice, however both husbands died in tragic circumstances. Her first husband, John Robert Torney, who Birmingham married in 1934 died from suicide in 1935. Birmingham was married to botanist Arthur Alva Livingstone from 1940 living in Gosford until his death in 1951^[5] by self inflicted gunshot wounds.^[3]

In 1938, Birmingham contracted an eye disease, trachoma, which limited her sight and her career.^[3]

After her husband's death, Birmingham returned to the Sydney suburb of Turramurra until moving to a nursing home in nearby Neutral Bay shortly before her death.^[3]

Works

From her time at Art School, Birmingham was hailed for her pen and ink work and identified as a student with promise.^[6]

Birmingham exhibited work at the Anthony Hordern Fine Art Gallery in 1921 along with other notable women painters such as Dorrit Black, Viola Macmillan Brown, Myra Cocks, Alice Creswick, Olive Crane, Grace Crowley, Anne Dangar, Marlon Ferrier, Georgina Hughes, and Bell Walker.^[7] She also featured her linocuts at numerous exhibitions^[8]

In 1934, Birmingham wrote and illustrated a children's book of verse Skippety Songs^[9] and illustrated numerous others.^[10]

Her work is represented in the collections of the National Gallery.^[11]

References

1. "Karna Marie Birmingham - biography at Design and Art Australia Online". www.daao.org.au. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
2. "Australian Prints & Printmaking". Centre for Australian Art. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
3. "Karna Marie Birmingham". Design & Art Australia Online. 1 January 1995. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
4. "LATE DR. BIRMINGHAM". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 28, 170. New South Wales, Australia. 18 April 1928. p. 16. Retrieved 28 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 35, 302. New South Wales, Australia. 12 February 1951. p. 14. Retrieved 28 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
6. "SOCIETY OF ARTISTS". Evening News. No. 16, 318. New South Wales, Australia. 2 October 1919. p. 10. Retrieved 28 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "WOMEN PAINTERS". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 26, 024. New South Wales, Australia. 2 June 1921. p. 6. Retrieved 28 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "Exhibition History". Centre for Australian Art. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
9. "In Review". Sunday Times (Perth). No. 1921. Western Australia. 18 November 1934. p. 9 (Second Section). Retrieved 28 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
10. "Citations". Design & Art Australia Online. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
11. "SOCIETY OF ARTISTS". Evening News. No. 16, 317. New South Wales, Australia. 1 October 1919. p. 6. Retrieved 28 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.