Bio
Harold born in Ballarat Victoria and attending Ballarat College where he studied architecture and applied design at the Technical School of Design attached to the Fine Art Gallery He later transferred with the school to the Ballarat School of Mines Herbert’s talents were early recognized by Ponsonby Carew-Smyth an art inspector with the Victorian Education Department and he moved to Melbourne in 1912 to become Carew-Smyth’s assistant Three years later he became art master at his old school but abandoned teaching in 1919 Herbert first exhibited in 1915 at the Centre way Gallery in Melbourne with four fellow Ballarat students Harold was already noted for his skill in the demanding techniques of Watercolour wash He exhibited with M. J. McNally and began painting and sketching tours with McNally Penleigh Boyd G. C. Benson and Charles Wheeler also receiving instruction from Hans Heysen In 1922-23 Harold travelled in England France Spain and Morocco On his return his first major exhibition in Melbourne was a huge success with every work being sold He was an esteemed member of the principal art societies and had work acquired by every public collection From 1926 until his death he was a member of the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board Harold’s career corresponded with the rise and decline of a strong school of Watercolour painting in Australia Harold however eschewed the romantic directions of Penleigh Boyd Jesse Hilder and Blamire Young in favor of an imitative naturalism that followed the British tradition of Tom Collier This emphasized a view of art as a craft with the artist working wholly in the open air drawing direct inspiration from picturesque aspects of the natural scene Harold’s friendship with Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Blamey resulted in his appointment early in 1941 as an official war artist He resigned after six months in the Middle East and until 1944 was an accredited war correspondent for the Australasian
