Charles Raymond Blackman, OBE (1928-2018, Australian)

Vale Charles Raymond Blackman, OBE (1928-2018, Australian) was a prolific artist who loved cats. He is best known for his series Schoolgirls and Alice in Wonderland.

Blackman was primarily self-taught after having left school at age 13. He worked as an illustrator with The Sun newspaper while attending East Sydney Technical College where he later earned an honorary doctorate. He joined the Heide Circle in 1951. In 1959, he became a member of the Antipodeans due to his use of figurative painting and drawing.

School Boy and Cat 2009

School Girl and Cat 2008

Girl with Two Cats, 2009

Girl and Cat, 2009

Alice in the Cat’s Garden, 1969

Alice’s Cat II

In the early 60’s he moved to London and held exhibitions at Whitechapel and Tate Galleries, and in 1977 he was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) due to his contributions to Australian public collections and regional galleries.

Cat Garden II 1975

The White Cat’s Garden 1969

The White Cat’s Garden II

The Cat’s Garden

White Cat in Garden

Painter of the White Cat’s Garden II

Blackman’s cats are portrayed in a dreamlike manner that transmit mystery and sometimes foreboding. It is clear that he owned cats and loved them. Many of his works include them and many more have cats as the main subjects. What is unique about his works is his talent for depicting events through his subject’s view point. Many of these use odd angels and washed out colors. Blackman created his works in a variety of styles and media.

The Cat’s Garden

Afternoon

Black Cat Face

Blue Cat

Cat and Woman

Cat Heart and Lovers

Cat on Roof, 1952

Cat Reading, Charles Raymond Blackman, 1988

Cat Reading, 1988

Cat Woman

Cat’s Face

Cat’s Garden

Cats

Girl & Cat 1969

Cat, Woman, Man

Leaping Cat

Colette’s Cat

Dream of the Cat

My Cat at Swanbourne Beach

Reclining Nude with Two Black Cats

Spellbound 1978

The Black Cat, 1976

The Cat’s Plant

Upside Down Cat

Witches and Sabath 1969, Charles Raymond Blackman

Witches and Sabbath 1969

Young girl with Cat and Flowers

Blackman suffered from alcoholism and in his later years lived with dementia. He died shortly after his 90^th birthday.

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