Ron Lambert (1923-1995)

BIOGRAPHY
Born in Sydney, 1923. Lambert lived in Wollongong throughout his life, where he taught at the Wollongong Technical College Art School (1972-95) and the University (1983-85). Between 1941-45 he was enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force as a pilot and subsequently became a prisoner of war. He studied initially at the National Art School between 1954-57, and continued his artistic education in Europe between 1960-61 (he studied painting under Oskar Kokoscka in Austria). Lambert had his first solo exhibition in 1963 at Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney. Further studies in the early 1980s led him to Easter Island, Peru, Mexico, Yucatan, USA, Europe, Greece, Egypt, New York, Washington, London, Paris, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hanover, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Amsterdam and Southern France. Awarded a Visual Arts Board grant in 1983, Lambert again toured Europe and the USA. He died in May 1995.

EXHIBITIONS
Over 20 solo and group exhibitions in Australia, with inclusions in survey shows of Abstract Expressionism. Selected exhibitions include:
1980 Abstract Expressionism in Sydney 1956-64, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney.
1992 Explorations in Paint: Ron Lambert 1954-92, A Survey, Wollongong City Gallery, NSW

AWARDS
1955 Le Gay Brereton Memorial Prize for Student Drawing
1963 Ryde Council Prize
1964 Campbelltown Prize
1965 Bathurst Prize
1966 Mudgee, Nowra and Shoalhaven Prizes
1967 North Side Arts Festival, Mosman and Mirror Waratah Prizes
1968 Mirror Waratah Prize
1970 Bathurst and Wollongong Council Prizes
1972 Wollongong Purchase Prize
1973 Maitland Prize
1976 Camden Prize
1983 Hunters Hill Mondrian Prize
1988 Cordeaux Heights Art Purchase Prize

COLLECTIONS
National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Victoria
Wollongong City Gallery        
Bathurst City Gallery
Maitland City Gallery 
New England Regional Gallery
Lewers Bequest and Penrith Regional Art Gallery
Artbank
Centre for Contemporary Art, New Zealand
Other civic, private and university collections