Journey through the Outback: Ode to Hugh Schulz
I do hope you have enjoyed the series of posts on the Australian naive painter Hugh Schulz (1921-2005). None of these posts would have been possible without the passion of the collector Andrew from the Hunter Region of New South Wales and the assistance of Hugh's daughter Sandra Lindeman, John Pickup his friend and fellow artist from the Brushmen of the Bush group and Eileen Wright, Collections Manager, Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery.
We thank them for their enthusiasm and support.
Hugh Schulz: Emus Oil on board. Purchased 1981 (1) ©S. Lindeman
Along with the emus, rabbits and camels we have strolled the outback pathways with Hugh by our side pointing out every minute detail. And high above the cockatoos, crows and magnificent eagles (Hugh's favourite bird) watch over their land.
As a miner from the age of 15 Hugh knew the raw earth better than anyone: he knew its terror and he knew its beauty.
As a naive painter Hugh Schulz recreated the truth of the scene as he perceived it and he has remained faithful to the beauty that is present in the Australian outback.
Rivka Morley was so enamored with the paintings by Hugh Schulz that she penned a poem in his honour. Note, the first letter of each line combine to spell his name.
How naive the scene appears
Under your brush no smears
Great the talent you express
Heeding true the wilderness
Scapes of bushlands wondrous, wild,
Couched in colours blended style,
Harmony, captured by your art,
Unfolding nature's secret heart,
Loving the elements you portray
Zestfully, piquantly, your way.
Rivka Morley 2
Hugh Schulz: Red Hop Time (3) ©S. Lindeman
Andrew, the collector from the Hunter Region, has expressed: Hugh Schulz paints the emotions - each piece of vegetation can be appreciated through its exquisite details - it can be touched and smelt. I like to think that Hugh created such a detailed account of the flora and fauna for the human viewers to feel as if they were there in the scene and could put out their hands to touch the red earth, the vegetation. A Hugh Schulz painting embraces all the senses: not only can you enjoy the vistas he has created - you can feel the texture, smell the earth.
If you missed the previous posts on Hugh Schulz please follow the links to The Magic of Hugh Schulz: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3; Hugh Schulz: Visual Narrator Part 1; Hugh Schulz: Visual Narrator Part 2; Hugh Schulz: a Lesson in Technique.
©All works by Hugh Schulz displayed here have been done so with the permission of Sandra Lindeman, daughter of Hugh Schulz. Sandra has also given generous support in providing images of Hugh Schulz paintings from the family collection plus sharing background information on her father.
*Thank you to Andrew from the Hunter Region for sharing his collection of Hugh Schulz paintings and for the enormous amount of work contributed to producing these posts for the AnArt4Life blog.
Thank you also to Eileen Wright, Collections Project Manager Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, for providing the images of the Hugh Schulz paintings held in the Broken Hill Gallery.
Thank you to John Pickup for providing the early prints of Hugh Schulz works and for his recollections of his friend and fellow Brushman of the Bush.
Credits
1. Image provided by the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery from their collection and with the assistance of Eileen Wright, Collections Project Manager.
2. Ellis, Barry The Artists of Broken Hill Lutheran Publishing House Adelaide, 1984 p.27
3. From the collection of Andrew from the Hunter Region of NSW.