Mabel and William Blamire Young with Dr Andrew Montana

An accomplished decorative colourist in watercolour painting, the English-born Australian William Blamire Young (1862–1935) was also an art nouveau poster artist, art critic and designer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He and his wife Mabel Blamire Young (1875–1956), a skilled wood carver, modeller, metal worker and decorator, collaborated in many of their artistic endeavours, yet she was overshadowed, and her work has been large unrecognised.

This well-illustrated presentation highlights their works and Mabel’s contribution, especially to the Arts and Crafts Movement in Victoria in the architectural and decorative arts.

Dr Andrew Montana researches, writes and lectures on the interrelationship between the fine, decorative and architectural arts, specialising in the 19th and 20th centuries.