Hermia Boyd

Hermia Boyd
Born
Hermia Sappho Lloyd Jones

(1931-08-10)August 10, 1931
Sydney, New South Wales.
Died(2001-01-25)January 25, 2001
Known forPottery, Illustration, Theatre set design and costuming.
SpouseDavid Boyd (artist)
ChildrenAmanda Boyd, Lucinda Boyd, Cassandra Boyd.
Parents
  • Herman Lloyd-Jones. (father)
  • Erica Lloyd-Jones. (mother)
Relatives

Hermia Sappho Boyd (née Lloyd Jones) (1931–2000[1]) was an Australian artist, writer, and a member of the Boyd artistic dynasty.

Boyd family

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Main article: Boyd family

The Boyd artistic dynasty began with the marriage of Emma Minnie à Beckett (known as Minnie) and Arthur Merric Boyd in 1886.[2] Both were already established as painters at the time of their marriage. Their second-born son Merric Boyd married Doris Gough and had five artistic children, Lucy de Guzman Boyd, Arthur Boyd, Guy Boyd, David Boyd, and Mary Elizabeth Boyd.[3]

In 1948 Hermia Lloyd-Jones joined the Boyd family through marrying David Fielding Gough Boyd.[1] Following the tradition of their family, their three daughters Amanda,[4] Lucinda, and Cassandra are artists.[5]

Education and early career

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Born in Sydney in 1931, Hermia Boyd (née Llyod Jones) was the daughter of Australian graphic artist Herman Lloyd-Jones[6] and Erica Lloyd-Jones, and the sister of Australian actress, artist, and gallerist Clytie Jessop.[7] Hermia first studied art privately with Joy Ewart, before attending the East Sydney Technical College where she worked under Lyndon Dadswell.[5] While studying she worked part-time at Martin Boyd Pottery with Guy Boyd and David Boyd.[8] In 1952, whilst in France, she studied wood-engraving with Edward Gordon Craig.[9] Early in 1970 while living in the south of France Hermia studied etching with Sathish Sharma.[9]

David & Hermia Boyd Pottery (1950–1968)

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In 1950, David and Hermia settled in Sydney to set up their first pottery in a shed based out of Paddington with fellow Australian potter Tom Sanders.[10] Producing a pottery range called Hermia Ware[11] and large individual pieces for exhibition. Hermia Ware went on to inspire other Australian potters including Milton Moon.[12] The couple's pottery style used wheel-thrown earthernware and terracotta clays to create both functional and sculptural forms. David experimented with different glazes including overglaze on porcelain, Italian Majolica,[13] manganese glaze, underglaze,[14] with Hermia often decorating the work using sgraffito techniques and sourcing medieval, byzantine, Coptic,[15] and Etruscan[16] imagery.[17] The couples potter's marks were usually painted or incised with 'Hermia Ware', 'Hermia', 'Boyd / England', 'D + H Boyd' and 'David + Hermia Boyd'.[18]

Moving to Europe in 1950, the couple established a pottery studio together in London, (Pinner, Middlesex)[19] which was publicized by Hermia's sister and gallerist Cyltie Lloyd-Jones.[20] and another later studio based in the South of France, in the provenance of Tourrettes-sur-Loup.[21] Hermia designed the distinctive figure sign 'Capricornia' for Cyltie Jessop and Joan Keast's Australian art shop in London, which the visiting Australian artist Stephen Briggs painted.[22] By the mid-1950s the Boyds became widely known as leading Australian potters.[23][24] They continued to work together primarily in pottery through to the mid-1960s. While working in London they were labelled by the British media as the "Golden Couple" of pottery.[25] Moving to Rome in 1961, Hermia and David worked on their pottery practice together in Australia, England and France before closing their last pottery in Murrumbeena in 1968 to concentrate on their respective individual artistic practices. David moved into a painting career, while Hermia focused on etching and sculpture.[26] The couple returned permanently to live and work in Australia from 1971.[25]

Solo career

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Boyd pursued a solo artist career before and after the closure of David and Hermia Boyd Pottery, as an illustrator, etcher, costumer and theatre set designer. She designed the curtain of the Royal Theatre in Ballarat[27] and designed all the costuming and sets for the 1958 Lola Montez production at the Elizabethan Theatre[28] which were reputed to have cost £80,000.[29] In 1960, Boyd designed the costuming and set design for Peter O'Shaughnessy's production of "Miss Julie"at the Russell Street Theatre.[30] In 1968 she illustrated the 1st edition cover for Citizens of Mist by Australian author Roger McDonald.[31] In 1971, Boyd had a solo exhibition at South Yarra Gallery Hermia Boyd: Sculptures, Bronzes, drawings and etchings.[32] A retrospective exhibition of her work was held in 1997 at Macquarie University Library, Hermia Boyd: a retrospective exhibition of selected works from 1945-1980.[33]

Exhibitions

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  • Ceramics by David and Hermia Boyd, 15 August 1949, David Jones "Little Gallery", Sydney[34]
  • London Pottery Show David and Hermia Boyd, 1953, Barling's, London[35]
  • Pottery by David and Hermia Boyd, 9–12 November 1955, Georges Ltd., Melbourne[36]
  • Arthur Boyd Paintings and David and Hermia Boyd Ceramics, 1956, Peter Bray Gallery[37]
  • Hermia Boyd: Sculptures, Bronzes, drawings and etchings, 21 November-9 December 1971, South Yarra Gallery[32]
  • The Painter as Potter, 4 February-6 March 1983, National Gallery of Victoria[38]
  • Hermia Boyd: a retrospective exhibition of selected works from 1945-1980, 12 October-2 November 1997, Macquarie University Library[33]
  • Boyd Women, 26 February-14 August 2006, Bundanon Homestead[39]
  • Boyd Women, 6 October-10 December 2017, Glen Eira City Council[40]
  • Hermia Boyd and Lola Montez: Designing an Australian Gold Rush Musical, 20 January-25 February 2018, Arts Centre Melbourne[41]
  • Know My Name: Part Two, 12 June 2021 – 26 June 2022, National Gallery of Australia[42]

Collections

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Activism

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Boyd signed a letter and was a part of the demonstration in 1966 at Australia House in London protesting the Australian participation in the Vietnam War,[50] alongside figures including David Boyd, Arthur Boyd, actor Leo McKern, composer Malcolm Williams, art gallery director Lesley Stack, painter John Olsen, Morris Hope, art critic Robert Hughes, cartoonist Arthur Horner, TV producer Tom Mainfield and poet Peter Porter.[51] Both Hermia and David were members of the Committee of Australian Artists for Parliamentary Democracy.[52]

Publications

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The Pottery and Ceramics of David & Hermia Boyd. (1977) By John Vader.[26]

Death

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Hermia died January 25, 2000. David Boyd died aged 87 on November 10, 2011.[25]

References

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  1. ^ a b McCulloch, McCulloch, McCulloch-Childs., Alan, Susan, Emily. (2006). The New McCulloch's Encyclopedia of Australian Art (4th ed.). Melbourne, Australia.: Aus Art Melbourne & The Miegunyah Press. p. 276. ISBN 052285317X.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "The Australian Women's Weekly (1933–1982) - 26 Apr 1972 - p15". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  3. ^ Niall, Brenda (2002). The Boyds: a family biography. Victoria, Australia: Miegunyah Press, Melbourne University Press. ISBN 978-0-522-84871-7.
  4. ^ "The Australian Women's Weekly (1933–1982) - 3 Dec 1958 - p15". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  5. ^ a b Germaine, Max (1990). Artists and Galleries of Australia Volumes 1 & 2 (3rd ed.). Sydney: Craftsman Press. p. 73. ISBN 9789768097026.
  6. ^ Lindsay, Philip (1941). 'I'd Live The Same Life Over'. London, UK.: Hutchinson & Co. p. 61.
  7. ^ "The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861–1954) - 16 Oct 1951 - p11". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  8. ^ Johnston, Dorothy (2002). The Peoples' Potteries. Sydney, Australia.: Dorothy Johnston. pp. 87–88. ISBN 9780646418711.
  9. ^ a b Printmaking, Prints and. "Hermia Boyd". www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  10. ^ "Tom Sanders - Australian Pottery at bemboka". www.australianpotteryatbemboka.com.au. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  11. ^ "The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931–1954) - 19 Nov 1950 - p58". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  12. ^ Maps, Visit North Terrace Adelaide SA 5000 Australia T. +61 8 8207 7000 E. infoartgallery sa gov au www agsa sa gov au AGSA Kaurna yartangka yuwanthi AGSA stands on Kaurna land Open in. "Milton Moon". AGSA - The Art Gallery of South Australia. Retrieved 2024-03-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "Vol. 7 No. 6 (June 1963)". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  14. ^ "The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933–1954) - 29 Sep 1953 - p8". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  15. ^ "At Sydney Galleries". Le Courrier Australien. 1955-07-29. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  16. ^ "The Hebrew Standard of Australasia (Sydney, NSW : 1895–1953) - 25 Aug 1949 - p5". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  17. ^ Carter's Price Guide to Antiques. (2017). "Boyd's Winged Pot". Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  18. ^ "David & Hermia Boyd - Australian Pottery at bemboka". www.australianpotteryatbemboka.com.au. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  19. ^ "Happy When They're Hiking". Age. 1951-04-13. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  20. ^ "Woman's World". Herald. 1951-10-16. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  21. ^ Bungey, Review by Darleen (2012-08-31). "Act of creation". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  22. ^ "The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931–1954) - 2 Nov 1951 - p11". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  23. ^ "The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995) - 25 Aug 1982 - p25". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  24. ^ "Sculptor turns to drawings". Argus. 1955-11-09. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  25. ^ a b c Niall, Brenda; Boyd, Lucinda (December 12, 2011). "Figurative artist stepped out from his brother's shadow".
  26. ^ a b Vader, John (1977). The Pottery and Ceramics of David and Hermia Boyd. Sydney, Australia.: Phillip Mathews, Publishers. ISBN 9780908001040.
  27. ^ "The Australian Women's Weekly (1933–1982) - 5 Nov 1958 - p10". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  28. ^ Lola Montez (1 October 1958 - 18 October 1958) [Event Description], 1958, retrieved 18 March 2024
  29. ^ "The Australian Jewish Times (Sydney, NSW : 1953–1990) - 7 Nov 1958 - p7". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  30. ^ ""MISS JULIE" PRODUCTION IMPRESSES". Australian Jewish Herald. 1960-11-04. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  31. ^ McDonald, R. (1968). Citizens of mist / by Roger McDonald. St. Lucia, Queensland ; University of Queensland Press.
  32. ^ a b "Hermia Boyd, Sculptures, Bronzes, drawings and etchings. at South Yarra Gallery. (1971) · Australian Prints + Printmaking". www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  33. ^ a b Boyd, Hermia; Macquarie University. Library; Macquarie University. School of Law (1997), Hermia Boyd : a retrospective exhibition of selected works from 1945-1980 : Macquarie University Library, October 12-November 2, 1997, the University?, retrieved 18 March 2024
  34. ^ "Ceramics By David And Hermia Boyd". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 835. New South Wales, Australia. 15 August 1949. p. 4. Retrieved 19 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  35. ^ "LONDON POTTERY SHOW". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XVIII, no. 157. New South Wales, Australia. 22 September 1953. p. 17. Retrieved 19 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  36. ^ "Sculptor turns to drawings". The Argus (Melbourne). Victoria, Australia. 9 November 1955. p. 6. Retrieved 19 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  37. ^ "[Arthur Boyd, paintings and David and Hermia Boyd ceramics] at Peter Bray Gallery. (1956) · Australian Prints + Printmaking". www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  38. ^ "Around the Galleries". The Australian Jewish News. Vol. XLIX, no. 21. Victoria, Australia. 4 February 1983. p. 17. Retrieved 19 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  39. ^ "Boyd Women". Bundanon. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  40. ^ "Boyd Women". www.gleneira.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  41. ^ a b Bowller, Nicole (2018-02-13). "Hermia Boyd & Lola Montez". Australian Performing Arts Collection. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  42. ^ National Gallery of Australia. "Know My Name Part Two: Hermia Boyd". National Gallery of Australia. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  43. ^ "Hermia Boyd - Search the Collection, National Gallery of Australia". National Gallery of Australia. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  44. ^ "Artists | NGV". www.ngv.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  45. ^ "BOYD, Hermia | QAGOMA Collection Online". collection.qagoma.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  46. ^ "Collections". Macquarie University. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  47. ^ "Bowl, 1956 by David Boyd, Hermia Boyd". www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  48. ^ "AGSA Collection Search". Art Gallery of South Australia. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  49. ^ Benjamin, Jason (2018-08-01). "VCA Art Collection". Museums and Collections. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  50. ^ Boyd, Arthur, 1920-1999 (1965), Australian-Vietnam protest 1965 manuscript, retrieved 18 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  51. ^ "Tribune (Sydney, NSW : 1939–1991) - 2 Feb 1966 - p2". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  52. ^ "Vol. 097 No. 4986 (6 Dec 1975)". Trove. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
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