Like so many others, I’m deeply saddened to hear that Hertha Kluge-Pott, one of Australia’s printmaking legends, has passed away.
In these photos I’m pictured with Hertha at the Australian Print Workshop during the award ceremony for the 2022 APW George Collie Memorial Award, of which she was a recipient.
I was awarded the APW George Collie Memorial Award back in 2020, but the official presentation was postponed due to COVID lockdowns. It was worth the wait, as well as a tremendous honour, to belatedly receive the award on the same day as Hertha.
Hertha and I are standing (together with APW Director Anne Virgo in image No. 1, top), in front of a series of linocuts by the late Barbara Hanrahan, who jointly received the award in 2020. The late Ann Newmarch OAM was joint recipient of the 2022 award.
In tandem with the awards, the APW held an exhibition of works by all four artists, which ran from August - October 2022.
The APW George Collie Memorial Award is presented annually by the APW in acknowledgement of artists who have made a significant contribution to Australian printmaking. It was a privilege to be included in such esteemed company (including those who came before us) and marvellous, as always, to catch up with Hertha. I never dreamed that it would be the last time I would see her.
RIP, Hertha.
