The quest to find subjects painted by ‘significant’ WA portrait artist forms part of new exhibition

Among dozens of artworks created by a prominent WA painter hang eight portraits of people whose identities remain a mystery decades later.

The family of Betty Bunning, who painted under the name Elizabeth Blair Barber, are hoping the public can help to identify the unknown subjects.

“These families may be totally unaware that a magnificent painting by a very well-known West Australian portrait painter even exists,” the late artist’s son, Bob Bunning, said.

“So we are looking to spread the word.”

The portraits form part of a collection of 200 restored works by the late artist now on exhibition at the Holmes à Court Gallery in West Perth.

The collection is comprised of another 50 portraits, some of which were of other artists including Paul Rigby, Arthur Russel, Brian Yates, Elizabeth Durack and Kathleen O’Connor.

Eclectic characters

However, Mr Bunning said his mother loved to paint dancers and actors and was drawn to people who she thought had interesting character.

The unidentified portraits were created between the 1950s and 70s and consist of seven woman and two men.

“They wouldn’t be just anyone,” Mr Bunning said.

“They’re particular, interesting people … but [I] have no idea who they might be.”

He believes the exhibition could be the answer to finally unravelling the mystery.

“It would be nice to know who they are for the record,” he said.

“But we’re also interested to know whether any of the families are still around who may wish to acquire the paintings as well.”

An Instagram account has also been set up calling for any information on the eight mystery portraits.

“There’s a very interesting portrait of an elderly man with a very interesting face … I have a feeling he might be a man called Harry Martin but I don’t know,” Mr Bunning said.

“It’s such a good portrait, it would be really, really delightful to find out who it was.”

Close collaboration

Mr Bunning worked closely with curator Conni Petrillo to decide which artworks, from the hundreds the family had stored over the decades, to include in the show.

The collection spans nearly 80 years, from a small sketch his mother had completed as a 16-year-old, to her final paintings.

Ms Petrillo spent nearly three years preparing for the exhibition, which she described as a rewarding journey of discovery.

“It’s been a mixture of fun and heartbreak,” she said.

“Getting to know Elizabeth Blair Barber was the most exciting thing because when I started, I didn’t really know her well, I knew of her, and I had met her many years ago when she was still alive.

In the public eye, Betty Bunning was the socialite wife of prominent WA businessman Charles Bunning, the name behind Australia’s best-known hardware and garden centre chain.

But to the art world, she was Elizabeth Blair Barber, a gifted painter who captured eight decades of WA history.

‘Significant’ artist

Ms Petrillo described her as a “powerful woman” who left a legacy of putting female artists on the map.

“She’s a fascinating woman, very prolific, and she was a very determined woman as an artist,” she said.

“By doing what she did, she showed that women could do it.

“She was a mentor for a lot of artists, especially when she ran the Cremorne Gallery where she had some major artists that started off with her and became famous because of her.”

The late artist’s son said it was an emotional moment to see his mother’s work being celebrated.

“To see, after the restoration, some of these paintings come alive, and the colours and the vibrancy come alive again, after sitting in the dungeon for 20 years or so … it’s a delight,” Mr Bunning said.

“What the family would like to have is to ensure that she remains regarded as a significant West Australian artist and in particular, a very significant Australian portrait painter.”

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