Early Years
Peter Graham was born 4 June 1925 and raised in the Melbourne suburb of Hartwell. He was awarded scholarship to Melbourne Technical College Art School for one year in 1939. He studied Hand Lithography with Ross McClintock Studios (Colour separation from artists' originals, drawn as lithographic plates - 24 sheet positives, etc.) between 1940 and 1941. Peter transferred his indenture to PhotoGravures Pty Ltd. in 1941. There he was trained by master craftsmen in facsimile reproduction and pre-press Rotogravure techniques during war years. He received his Certificate of Completion of apprenticeship in 1946.
Between 1941 and 1946 Peter studied fine art with Victor Greenhalgh and John Rowell in night classes at Melbourne Technical College- figure and portraiture.
In 1945 Peter Graham joined the Victorian Artists Society, and exhibited his first painting in the Australia at War Exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. At the same time he began his association with the Melbourne Social Realism group that included: Noel Counihan, Josl Berger, Victor O'Connor, Ma Mahood, Herbert McClintock, Rembrandt McClintock, Frank Andrew, and Nutta Buzzacott. He exhibited regularly at the Victorian Artists Society until 1947.
In 1946 he was awarded the Ferntree Gully Art Prize for best watercolour, 'Back Streets of Hawthorn', a year later he was awarded The Herald prize for best drawing, 'The Smokers'. Then he left for England with Grahame King in August 1947.
Read more about this topic: Peter Benjamin Graham
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