Lesley Harding

Celebrated for her vibrant and distinctive images of indigenous flowers, artist Margaret Preston was an equally colourful and outspoken personality. Less well known is her legacy as a generous and insightful teacher and keen cook, and her deep sense of civic duty. She was passionate about the need for a modern national culture that reflected everyday life. For Preston, the building blocks of such a culture were not to be found in the Australian pastoral landscape tradition, but in the home and garden. Maintaining that art should be within everyone's reach, she published widely on the methods and techniques of a host of creative pursuits - from pottery, printmaking and basket weaving, to the gentle art of flower arranging. She devoted much of her career to the genre of still life, depicting humble domestic objects and flowers from her garden, and often painting in the kitchen while keeping 'one eye on the stew'. Drawing on recipes from handwritten books found in the National Gallery of Australia and richly illustrated with Preston's paintings, prints and photographs, this book sheds new light on the fascinating private life of a much-loved Australian artist.

The impact of Mirka and Georges Mora on Australian art and food has been remarkable.Arriving in Melbourne in 1951 from Paris, they energised local society and transformed the culinary and artistic landscapes. Their apartment became a hub for the bohemian set, and their cafes and restaurants brimmed with sophisticated food, sexual intrigue and creative endeavours. Mirka's distinctive art, now collected by major galleries, was a vital part of this heady mix.Their eateries were magnets to the rich and famous, a who's who of the art world and those looking for a seriously good time. Mick Jagger was a customer. As were Bob Dylan, Barry Humphries, Jean Shrimpton, Ava Gardner, Gregory Peck, Marlene Dietrich, Fred Astaire, Maurice Chevalier and Graham Kennedy. Launched in the year of Mirka's 90th birthday, Mirka & Georges gloriously illustrates the Moras' extraordinary story, with the couple's classic French recipes, photographs from family albums and images from Mirka's studio by internationally renowned photographer Robyn Lea.

This book brings fresh perspectives on the works of celebrated modernists Georgia O’Keeffe, Margaret Preston and Grace Cossington Smith, illuminating some of the artistic and cultural parallels and common themes between American and Australian modernism while exploring each artist’s unique contribution to international developments of modernism. While O’Keeffe, Preston and Cossington Smith developed highly individual styles, they are connected by their choice of subject, their experimentation with light, colour and form, and their commitment to presenting alternative ways of seeing the world. Each modernised their sense of place, developing new art forms that expressed their respective nations. In considering the similarities and distinctions in their art, this publication aims to bring a deeper understanding of modernism’s dispersal and reinvention as it developed beyond the metropolitan wellspring of Europe. Through a selection of wondrous images and engaging and enlightening essays, this book explores the distinct contributions made by O’Keeffe, Preston and Cossington Smith to the movement of modernism throughout their prolific careers.

Much has been written about the lives and art of Heide, but finally the remaining members of the inner circle have entrusted the truth to be told through this intimate biography of John and Sunday Reed. Equal parts romance and tragedy, Modern Love explores the lives of these champions of successive generations of Australian artists and writers, whose works and personalities John and Sunday carefully curated to suit their artistic tastes and sexual passions. It is a story of rebellion against their privileged backgrounds and a bohemian existence marked by extraordinary achievements, intense heartbreak and enduring love, a remarkable partnership that changed all those who crossed the threshold into Heide and altered the course of art in Australia.