Mary Nolan (artist)

Nolan with John Perceval and her brother Arthur in 1943

Lady Mary Elizabeth Nolan (née Boyd; 9 November 1926–6 April 2016) was an Australian ceramicist, painter and photographer. She is remembered for her marriage to Sidney Nolan and her work preserving his work and estate.

Biography[edit]

Early life and first marriage[edit]

Mary Nolan was born in 1926 to father Merric Boyd, a potter, and mother Dorris Boyd (née Gough), a painter. The Boyd family were known for their connection to the arts, and her siblings, Lucy, Arthur, Guy and David, all went on to become artists.[1] Mary grew up at the Boyds' "Open Country" home in Murrumbeena, then a rural suburb on the outskirts of Melbourne.[2] From an early age, Mary was taught painting and potting, though her formal education ended at age 14 when she left school.[3][4]

In 1944, the 18-year-old Mary married painter John Perceval, with Sidney Nolan as a witness.[3][5] The marriage produced four children and saw her eventually depart from painting and ceramics.[6] In the 1950s, Perceval produced studio pottery to earn money, and had started to gain critical attention as a painter. At this time, Mary began a friendship with John and Sunday Reed.[5] In 1963 the family moved to London, settling in Highgate, and became part of a group of Australian artists living in the city.[3][1] The family moved back to Australia in 1965 where Perceval undertook a fellowship at Canberra's Australian National University.[5] The couple's relationship suffered due to Perceval's alcoholism and psychiatric issues, and their marriage ended in the early 1970s.[1][5][7]

Grave of Mary Nolan in Highgate Cemetery

Life with Sidney Nolan[edit]

Mary moved back to London, living with her daughter Alice, and in 1975 relocated to a Herefordshire farmhouse,"The Ruthland", on the edge of Wales.[3][8] She began a relationship, possibly romantic, with Sidney Nolan during the 1970s while his wife Cynthia was still alive. She had known Sidney from Australia and was aware of his previous relationships, including with Sunday Reed.[5][8] Following Cynthia's suicide in 1976, Mary provided comfort to Sidney. The couple married in London in 1978 with her brother and sister-in-law Arthur and Yvonne as witnesses.[5]

Death[edit]

Mary died on 6th April 2016 and she was buried with Sidney on the eastern side of Highgate Cemetery

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Lady Mary Nolan: Art and family were at the heart of her life". The Irish Times. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  2. ^ "Mary Nolan". National Gallery of Australia. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  3. ^ a b c d Mundy, Simon (2016-06-19). "Mary Nolan obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  4. ^ Dobrez, Patricia (2011). "Mary Boyd". Design & Art Australia Online. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Underhill, Nancy (29 April 2016). "Never a dull moment as an artist's wife and confidante". The Australian.
  6. ^ Cooke, Dewi (2016-04-18). "Lady Mary Nolan, widow of painter Sidney Nolan, dies in Wales". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  7. ^ Mendelssohn, Joanna (2012). "John Perceval". Design & Art Australia Online. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  8. ^ a b Underhill, Nancy (2015). Sidney Nolan: A Life. Sydney: Newsouth. pp. 319–345. ISBN 9781921410888.
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