Dorothy Elizabeth Robertson (née Rogers, died 1979) was a New Zealand artist.

Background

Born Dorothy Rogers near Margate, in Kent, England, into a family of six children. Her father was a captain in the British Navy and as a result, the family moved around the British Isles. Between the ages of 14 and 19 years Dorothy drew advertisements for products such as Beecham's Pills which were published in the Daily Mail. After leaving school Dorothy qualified as a nurse and met her future husband, Dr Malcolm Robertson from Christchurch, New Zealand, while working in a hospital. After marrying, Dorothy and her husband returned to New Zealand, where he practiced as an ear, nose and throat surgeon until retiring 30 years later. They had three sons who all became doctors. When the two eldest sons left home to study in England, Dorothy returned to concentrate on her painting. She worked from studios in her home in Christchurch and Takaka, Golden Bay.

Career

Dorothy's first artwork was accepted in 1951 by the Societe des Artistes Francais, at the

Grand Palais The Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées ( en, Great Palace of the Elysian Fields), commonly known as the Grand Palais (English: Great Palace), is a historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located at the Champs-Élysées in the 8th arro ...

, Champ-Elysees, Paris. In 1960 Dorothy received a Mention Honourable (award of merit) from the salon. In March 1969, an issue of the French art magazine ''La Revue Moderne'' featured one of Dorothy's paintings, 'Crayfishing, Kaikoura', on its cover, and a page inside was devoted to her work. Dorothy exhibited 32 paintings at the Societe des artistes Francais over 25 years. After noting her many successes between 1951 and 1974, the director of a famous private art gallery, Galerie Vallombreuse in Biarritz, decided to hold an exhibition of the New Zealander's art. Despite her success overseas, Dorothy's work was rejected by the Canterbury Society of Arts in her home town of Christchurch, New Zealand. Her work was hung in the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

in London, the

Royal Scottish Academy The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) is the country’s national academy of art. It promotes contemporary Scottish art. The Academy was founded in 1826 by eleven artists meeting in Edinburgh. Originally named the Scottish Academy, it became the ...

, the Society of Women Artists Exhibition in London and many other British galleries. Robertson also exhibited with: * Auckland Society of Arts *

Canterbury Society of Arts Centre of Contemporary Art (CoCA, formerly the Canterbury Society of Arts) is a curated art gallery in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand. The gallery is administered by the Canterbury Society of Arts (CSA) Charitable Trust. Quarte ...

* New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts

Background

Career

References

Further reading