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Rosemary Dobson

January 01, 1970

Rosemary de Brissac Dobson, AO (18 June 1920 – 27 June 2012)[1] was an Australian poet, who was also an illustrator, editor and anthologist.[2] She published fourteen volumes of poetry, was published in almost every annual volume of Australian Poetry and has been translated into French and other languages.[3]

Rosemary Dobson
Dobson (centre) with Maximilian Feuerring and Imre Szigeti, at the Macquarie Galleries
Born(1920-06-18)18 June 1920
Sydney, New South Wales
Died27 June 2012(2012-06-27) (aged 92)
Canberra, ACT
Occupation(s)Poet, anthologist, editor, teacher
Known forPoetry
SpouseAlec Bolton
Children3

The Judges of the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards in 1996 described her significance as follows: "The level of originality and strength of Rosemary's poetry cannot be underestimated, nor can the contribution she has made to Australian literature. Her literary achievements, especially her poetry, are a testament to her talent and dedication to her art."[4]

Life edit

Rosemary Dobson was born in Sydney, the second daughter of English-born A.A.G. (Arthur) Dobson and Marjorie (née Caldwell). Her paternal grandfather was Austin Dobson, a poet and essayist.[5] Her father died when she was five years old. She attended the prestigious Frensham School where her mother obtained work as a housemistress.[5] Here she met Australian children's author, Joan Phipson, who had been asked to set up a printing press.[5] She stayed on, after completion of her studies, as an apprentice teacher of art and art history.[5]

When she turned 21, Dobson attended the University of Sydney as a non-degree student.[5] She also studied design with Australian artist, Thea Proctor.[3] She worked as an editor and reader for the publisher Angus and Robertson[6] with Beatrice Davis and Nan McDonald.

She married the publisher Alec Bolton (1926–1996), whom she met while working at Angus and Robertson, in Sydney, and they had three children. During these Sydney years she became well-acquainted with other writers and artists, such as poet Douglas Stewart and his artist wife, Margaret Coen, writer and artist Norman Lindsay, Kenneth Slessor, and James McAuley. They lived in London from 1966 to 1971, during which she travelled widely in Europe and cemented her lifelong interest in art.[2]

The Boltons moved to Canberra in 1971 where Alec Bolton set up the Publications area of the National Library of Australia. In Canberra they were friendly with David Campbell, A. D. Hope, R. F. Brissenden and Dorothy Green. As time wore on, her local circle expanded to include younger writers such as Alan Gould and Geoff Page.[5]

Her older sister, Ruth Dobson, became Australia's first woman career diplomat ambassador.[5]

Rosemary Dobson died in a Canberra nursing home on 27 June 2012.[1]

Literary career edit

Dobson began writing poetry at the age of seven.[5] Her first collection, In a Convex Mirror, appeared in 1944, and was followed by thirteen more volumes. Her work demonstrates her love of art, antiquity and mythology[7] as well as her experience of motherhood. Hooton describes her work as both consistent and varied: "consistency balanced with variety, reserve with passion, past with present, tradition with innovation, ancient myth with contemporary life, domesticity with culture, and above all Australia with Europe.[5]

Douglas Stewart suggested that she is "a religious person in the deepest and most important sense".[8] In her introduction to her 1973 Selected Poems, Dobson wrote of her aims:

"I hope it will be perceived that the poems presented here are part of a search for something only fugitively glimpsed, a state of grace which one once knew, or imagined, or from which one was turned away. Surely everyone who writes poetry would agree this is part of it - a doomed but urgent wish to express the inexpressible".[8]

In addition to poetry she produced anthologies including two, with poet David Campbell, containing their translations of Russian poetry. She also wrote prose.

Brindabella Press edit

In 1972, Dobson's husband, Alec Bolton, set up Brindabella Press on which he worked for the rest of his life, working more actively after his retirement from the Library in 1987. Dobson had input as editorial adviser and proof-reader.[5] Both she and Bolton enjoyed the art of the private press in a time when computer type-setting was taking over and producing a more standardised product.[9]

Two early publications from the press, published in 1973, were a small sheet edition of some of Dobson's poems titled Three poems on water-springs and a small book of poems by David Campbell titled Starting from Central Station : a sequence of poems.

Portraits edit

Norman Lindsay made three portraits of Dobson, the first one at the suggestion of Douglas Stewart who suggested he draw or paint Australian writers.[10] Lindsay's first portrait of Dobson was a drawing, but it was then suggested that he do an oil painting. Lindsay asked her to wear her rose-coloured evening dress. This painting is now owned by the National Library of Australia, as is the dress she wore for the portrait.[11] Dobson sat a third time for Lindsay, at his request and wearing clothes of his suggestion. This portrait is now missing.[11]

Artist Thea Proctor made four drawings of Dobson while Dobson was attending Proctor's art classes.[12]

Awards edit

Bibliography edit

Poetry

  • In a Convex Mirror (Dymocks, 1944)
  • The Ship of Ice (Angus & Robertson, 1948)
  • Child with a Cockatoo (Angus & Robertson, 1955)
  • Selected Poems (Angus & Robertson, 1963)
  • Cock Crow (Angus & Robertson, 1965)
  • L'Enfant au Cacatoès trans. M. Diesendorf & L. Dautheuil (Pierre Seghers, 1965)
  • Selected Poems (Angus & Robertson, 1973) ISBN 0-207-12809-X
  • Greek Coins: A sequence of poems (Brindabella, 1977) ISBN 0-909422-05-2
  • Over the Frontier (Angus & Robertson, 1978) ISBN 0-207-13636-X
  • The Continuance of Poetry (Brindabella, 1981) ISBN 0-909422-09-5
  • The Three Fates & Other Poems (Hale & Iremonger, 1984) ISBN 0-86806-133-6
  • Seeing and Believing (NLA, 1990) ISBN 0-642-10500-6
  • Collected Poems (Collins/Angus & Robertson, 1991) ISBN 0-207-16864-4
  • Untold Lives & Later Poems (Brandl & Schlesinger, 2000) ISBN 1-876040-26-2
  • Poems to Hold or Let Go (Ampersand Duck, 2008) ISBN 978-0-9775906-1-2
  • Rosemary Dobson Collected (UQP, 2012) ISBN 978-0-7022-3911-3
  • Summers end diptych poem

Translation

  • Moscow Trefoil: Poems from the Russian of Anna Akhmatova and Osip Mandelstam with David Campbell and Natalie Staples (ANU, 1975) ISBN 0-7081-0141-0
  • Seven Russian Poets: Imitations with David Campbell (UQP, 1980) ISBN 0-7022-1418-3

Non-Fiction

Legacy edit

The Rosemary Dobson Award was awarded as part of the ACT Poetry Award by the ACT Government between 2005 and 2011, for an unpublished poem by an Australian poet.[15]

Notes edit

  • Adelaide, Debra (1988) Australian Women Writers: A Bibliographic Guide, London, Pandora
  • Anderson, D.J. (1996) Citation for Honorary Award to Rosemary Dobson AO
  • Bolton, Rosemary Dobson (2005) "The rose-coloured dress", National Library of Australia News, XV (9): 7-9, June 2005
  • Hooton, Joy (ed) (2000a) Rosemary Dobson: A Celebration, National Library of Australia ISBN 0-642-10728-9
  • Hooton, Joy (2000b) "Rosemary Dobson: A Life of Making Poetry" in Hooton, Joy (ed) (2000) Rosemary Dobson: A celebration, National Library of Australia ISBN 0-642-10728-9
  • NSW Premier's Literary Awards Judges Comments
  • Smith, Graeme Kinross (1980) Australian Writers, West Melbourne, Nelson
  • Tranter, John Ernest. "Interview: Rosemary Dobson in conversation with John Tranter, 8 December 2004." 5,800 words, illustrated.
  • Wilde, W., Hooton, J. & Andrews, B (1994) The Oxford Companion of Australian Literature 2nd ed. South Melbourne, Oxford University Press

References edit

  1. ^ a b Steger, Jason (28 June 2012). "Rosemary Dobson, enduring voice of Australia, dies". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  2. ^ a b Anderson (1996)
  3. ^ a b Adelaide (1988) p. 52
  4. ^ New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Judges Comments
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hooton (2000b) p. 1, 5, 10, 11, 25, 3
  6. ^ Rosemary Dobson Contents Page 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine (Australian Literature Resources) Accessed: 13 February 2007
  7. ^ Wilde, Hooton and Andrews (1994) p. 135
  8. ^ a b Smith (1980) p. 334
  9. ^ Smith (1980) p. 333
  10. ^ Bolton (2005) p. 8
  11. ^ a b Bolton (2005) p. 8-9
  12. ^ Bolton (2005) p. 9
  13. ^ a b Hooton (2000a) p.71
  14. ^ It's an Honour - Officer of the Order of Australia
  15. ^ "ACT Poetry Prize 2003-2014". Libraries ACT. Retrieved 12 April 2020.

External links edit

  • , by John Tranter
  • Papers of Rosemary Dobson Ms 4955
  • "Poetry Special: 'The Continuance of Poetry' by Rosemary Dobson", on ABC Radio National Book Show Accessed: 2008-05-15

January 01, 1970
rosemary, dobson, rosemary, brissac, dobson, june, 1920, june, 2012, australian, poet, also, illustrator, editor, anthologist, published, fourteen, volumes, poetry, published, almost, every, annual, volume, australian, poetry, been, translated, into, french, o. Rosemary de Brissac Dobson AO 18 June 1920 27 June 2012 1 was an Australian poet who was also an illustrator editor and anthologist 2 She published fourteen volumes of poetry was published in almost every annual volume of Australian Poetry and has been translated into French and other languages 3 Rosemary DobsonDobson centre with Maximilian Feuerring and Imre Szigeti at the Macquarie GalleriesBorn 1920 06 18 18 June 1920Sydney New South WalesDied27 June 2012 2012 06 27 aged 92 Canberra ACTOccupation s Poet anthologist editor teacherKnown forPoetrySpouseAlec BoltonChildren3 The Judges of the New South Wales Premier s Literary Awards in 1996 described her significance as follows The level of originality and strength of Rosemary s poetry cannot be underestimated nor can the contribution she has made to Australian literature Her literary achievements especially her poetry are a testament to her talent and dedication to her art 4 Contents 1 Life 2 Literary career 3 Brindabella Press 4 Portraits 5 Awards 6 Bibliography 7 Legacy 8 Notes 9 References 10 External linksLife editRosemary Dobson was born in Sydney the second daughter of English born A A G Arthur Dobson and Marjorie nee Caldwell Her paternal grandfather was Austin Dobson a poet and essayist 5 Her father died when she was five years old She attended the prestigious Frensham School where her mother obtained work as a housemistress 5 Here she met Australian children s author Joan Phipson who had been asked to set up a printing press 5 She stayed on after completion of her studies as an apprentice teacher of art and art history 5 When she turned 21 Dobson attended the University of Sydney as a non degree student 5 She also studied design with Australian artist Thea Proctor 3 She worked as an editor and reader for the publisher Angus and Robertson 6 with Beatrice Davis and Nan McDonald She married the publisher Alec Bolton 1926 1996 whom she met while working at Angus and Robertson in Sydney and they had three children During these Sydney years she became well acquainted with other writers and artists such as poet Douglas Stewart and his artist wife Margaret Coen writer and artist Norman Lindsay Kenneth Slessor and James McAuley They lived in London from 1966 to 1971 during which she travelled widely in Europe and cemented her lifelong interest in art 2 The Boltons moved to Canberra in 1971 where Alec Bolton set up the Publications area of the National Library of Australia In Canberra they were friendly with David Campbell A D Hope R F Brissenden and Dorothy Green As time wore on her local circle expanded to include younger writers such as Alan Gould and Geoff Page 5 Her older sister Ruth Dobson became Australia s first woman career diplomat ambassador 5 Rosemary Dobson died in a Canberra nursing home on 27 June 2012 1 Literary career editDobson began writing poetry at the age of seven 5 Her first collection In a Convex Mirror appeared in 1944 and was followed by thirteen more volumes Her work demonstrates her love of art antiquity and mythology 7 as well as her experience of motherhood Hooton describes her work as both consistent and varied consistency balanced with variety reserve with passion past with present tradition with innovation ancient myth with contemporary life domesticity with culture and above all Australia with Europe 5 Douglas Stewart suggested that she is a religious person in the deepest and most important sense 8 In her introduction to her 1973 Selected Poems Dobson wrote of her aims I hope it will be perceived that the poems presented here are part of a search for something only fugitively glimpsed a state of grace which one once knew or imagined or from which one was turned away Surely everyone who writes poetry would agree this is part of it a doomed but urgent wish to express the inexpressible 8 In addition to poetry she produced anthologies including two with poet David Campbell containing their translations of Russian poetry She also wrote prose Brindabella Press editIn 1972 Dobson s husband Alec Bolton set up Brindabella Press on which he worked for the rest of his life working more actively after his retirement from the Library in 1987 Dobson had input as editorial adviser and proof reader 5 Both she and Bolton enjoyed the art of the private press in a time when computer type setting was taking over and producing a more standardised product 9 Two early publications from the press published in 1973 were a small sheet edition of some of Dobson s poems titled Three poems on water springs and a small book of poems by David Campbell titled Starting from Central Station a sequence of poems Portraits editNorman Lindsay made three portraits of Dobson the first one at the suggestion of Douglas Stewart who suggested he draw or paint Australian writers 10 Lindsay s first portrait of Dobson was a drawing but it was then suggested that he do an oil painting Lindsay asked her to wear her rose coloured evening dress This painting is now owned by the National Library of Australia as is the dress she wore for the portrait 11 Dobson sat a third time for Lindsay at his request and wearing clothes of his suggestion This portrait is now missing 11 Artist Thea Proctor made four drawings of Dobson while Dobson was attending Proctor s art classes 12 Awards edit1948 The Sydney Morning Herald Poetry Prize for The Ship of Ice 1966 Myer Award II for Australian Poetry for Cock Crow 13 1977 Australian National University Honorary Convocation Member 13 1979 Robert Frost Award 1984 Patrick White Award 1984 Grace Leven Prize for Poetry for Best Volume of Poetry for the Year The Three Fates amp Other Poems 1985 Victorian Premier s Literary Award Joint Winner for The Three Fates 1986 Association for the Study of Australian Literature Honorary Life Member 1987 Officer of the Order of Australia AO 14 1996 Australia Council Writer s Emeritus Award 1996 University of Sydney Honorary Doctor of Letters 2001 The Age Book of the Year Book of the Year and Poetry Awards for Untold Lives amp Later Poems 2006 NSW Alice Award 2006 New South Wales Premier s Literary Awards Special AwardBibliography editPoetry In a Convex Mirror Dymocks 1944 The Ship of Ice Angus amp Robertson 1948 Child with a Cockatoo Angus amp Robertson 1955 Selected Poems Angus amp Robertson 1963 Cock Crow Angus amp Robertson 1965 L Enfant au Cacatoes trans M Diesendorf amp L Dautheuil Pierre Seghers 1965 Selected Poems Angus amp Robertson 1973 ISBN 0 207 12809 X Greek Coins A sequence of poems Brindabella 1977 ISBN 0 909422 05 2 Over the Frontier Angus amp Robertson 1978 ISBN 0 207 13636 X The Continuance of Poetry Brindabella 1981 ISBN 0 909422 09 5 The Three Fates amp Other Poems Hale amp Iremonger 1984 ISBN 0 86806 133 6 Seeing and Believing NLA 1990 ISBN 0 642 10500 6 Collected Poems Collins Angus amp Robertson 1991 ISBN 0 207 16864 4 Untold Lives amp Later Poems Brandl amp Schlesinger 2000 ISBN 1 876040 26 2 Poems to Hold or Let Go Ampersand Duck 2008 ISBN 978 0 9775906 1 2 Rosemary Dobson Collected UQP 2012 ISBN 978 0 7022 3911 3 Summers end diptych poem Translation Moscow Trefoil Poems from the Russian of Anna Akhmatova and Osip Mandelstam with David Campbell and Natalie Staples ANU 1975 ISBN 0 7081 0141 0 Seven Russian Poets Imitations with David Campbell UQP 1980 ISBN 0 7022 1418 3 Non Fiction Focus on Ray Crooke UQP 1971 ISBN 0 7022 0702 0 A World of Difference Australian poetry and painting in the 1940s Wentworth Press 1973 ISBN 0 85587 064 8Legacy editThe Rosemary Dobson Award was awarded as part of the ACT Poetry Award by the ACT Government between 2005 and 2011 for an unpublished poem by an Australian poet 15 Notes editAdelaide Debra 1988 Australian Women Writers A Bibliographic Guide London Pandora Anderson D J 1996 Citation for Honorary Award to Rosemary Dobson AO Bolton Rosemary Dobson 2005 The rose coloured dress National Library of Australia News XV 9 7 9 June 2005 Hooton Joy ed 2000a Rosemary Dobson A Celebration National Library of Australia ISBN 0 642 10728 9 Hooton Joy 2000b Rosemary Dobson A Life of Making Poetry in Hooton Joy ed 2000 Rosemary Dobson A celebration National Library of Australia ISBN 0 642 10728 9 NSW Premier s Literary Awards Judges Comments Smith Graeme Kinross 1980 Australian Writers West Melbourne Nelson Tranter John Ernest Interview Rosemary Dobson in conversation with John Tranter 8 December 2004 5 800 words illustrated Wilde W Hooton J amp Andrews B 1994 The Oxford Companion of Australian Literature 2nd ed South Melbourne Oxford University PressReferences edit a b Steger Jason 28 June 2012 Rosemary Dobson enduring voice of Australia dies The Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved 28 June 2012 a b Anderson 1996 a b Adelaide 1988 p 52 New South Wales Premier s Literary Awards Judges Comments a b c d e f g h i j Hooton 2000b p 1 5 10 11 25 3 Rosemary Dobson Contents Page Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Australian Literature Resources Accessed 13 February 2007 Wilde Hooton and Andrews 1994 p 135 a b Smith 1980 p 334 Smith 1980 p 333 Bolton 2005 p 8 a b Bolton 2005 p 8 9 Bolton 2005 p 9 a b Hooton 2000a p 71 It s an Honour Officer of the Order of Australia ACT Poetry Prize 2003 2014 Libraries ACT Retrieved 12 April 2020 External links editInterview by John Tranter Papers of Rosemary Dobson Ms 4955 Poetry Special The Continuance of Poetry by Rosemary Dobson on ABC Radio National Book Show Accessed 2008 05 15 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rosemary Dobson amp oldid 1186330316, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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