Like his contemporary 'colourist' Roy de Maistre, Roland Wakelin was Australian Modernism's expert in colour harmony. He uses classical subject matter - landscape, cityscape or still- life - then applies high keyed colours for a gentle modernist effect . His life's work was the subject of a major retrospective at the Art Gallery of NSW in 1967, which holds a number of exemplary Wakelin pieces.
He taught at the School of Architecture, University of Sydney from 1952, and is represented in all major public galleries in Australia.