Bio
Valerie Albiston Bio
Valerie Albiston (formerly Cohen) was born in Elwood Victoria 1911 having learnt the basics of painting from her father (Morris Cohen) who was an early influence on both Valerie and her sister Yvonne (Cohen Sisters) travelled to America and Europe after Morris was killed tragically in a boat accident in 1930 Valerie, Yvonne and their Mother Viva acquainting themselves with the great and emerging artist of the day and furthering studies in Italy returned to Australia in 1935 Valerie commenced art classes with William Beckwith McInnes at the National Gallery School Albiston found his academic approach to art restrictive and after leaving attended art classes with Louis McCubbin spent six months at RMIT under Murray Griffin and a short time working with John Rowell In 1938 Albiston’s life altered dramatically with her discovery of Timana Island a tropical paradise that lies between Bedurra and Dunk Islands where she and her sister stared for extended periods until the late 1970s For six months of the year she painted on the island and came south to Melbourne during the summer months to escape the tropical heat and humidity The Cohen sisters Yvonne and Valerie Cohen (later Albiston) were early pioneers of the Modernist Australian Painting movement inspired by Northern Landscape and during Valerie’s sojourn south in 1949 Valerie enrolled in art lessons at the celebrated George Bell School where many renowned Australian modernists had studied She enjoyed the artistic environment and was able to incorporate what Bell taught her with what she knew She attended Bell’s studio classes until 1952 and continued to exhibit with the Bell circle at his invitation until he died in 1966 Albiston is an important member of the Bell circle and the Escape Artists (the Modernists in the Tropics) and has shown with numerous commercial galleries She is represented at selected regional galleries including Warrnambool, Bendigo the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery in Townsville Cairns and the Portland Regional Gallery
Melbourne University has a Scholarship (Albiston Painting Scholarship) This scholarship is available to a high-ranking third year student in the School of Art and is awarded at the discretion of the Head of School
