What is The Dunmoochin Foundation?
The Dunmoochin Foundation is a residency program for emerging and established artists and researchers situated in the natural bushland of Cottles Bridge, about an hour out of Melbourne’s CBD at 105 Barrenong Road in Cottles Bridge. We’re located approximately 10 minutes drive from Hurstbridge train station.
Dunmoochin offers a place of retreat for successful applicants to devote up to two years experiencing this natural environment. Our artist residences and communal grounds are private, with entry to the property only available via appointment. The program presents an opportunity to understand and appreciate the rich creative, environmental and artistic cultural significance of this area.
What do Dunmoochin residencies offer?
The foundation has six individual residential properties and three studios, as well as printmaking facilities and communal grounds including a pool, croquet court and acres of natural bushland accessible to the artists in residence. In addition to accepting applications from artists of all mediums, the foundation also encourages environmental and artistic researchers to apply.
In order to find out more information about submit applications, head to our ‘How to Apply’ page. Please note, we currently only accept contact over email. You can reach us at lucas@dunmoochin.org
The history of Dunmoochin
Dunmoochin derives its cultural and artistic heritage from the collaborative efforts of a group of artists who purchased land in Cottles Bridge in the early 1950’s. These artists pioneered one of the first artistic communes in Australia and created a lasting vision of how a community can gain knowledge and inspiration from living in a close relationship with nature.
One of these artists, Clifton Pugh, achieved national and international recognition during his lifetime and in 1989 he established the Dunmoochin Foundation. Upon his death in 1990 he left an art collection and extensive properties within the Dunmoochin area, to be developed and maintained by the Dunmoochin Foundation.
War Service
Served in the Australian Army during W.W II.
Married three times. Two sons; Shane born in 1953, and Dailan born in 1955.
Exhibited widely from 1955 onwards in Australia, USA, Britain, Mexico, New Zealand, Israel, Japan and Canada.
1957 March: First Major One-Man Show, Victorian Artists’ Society,Melbourne.
Involvement, by Andrew Grimwade, Sun Books, Melbourne, 1968
Painting People (Commonwealth Film Unit).
The Art Gallery of South Australia.
One of these artists, Clifton Pugh, achieved national and international recognition during his lifetime and in 1989 he established the Dunmoochin Foundation. Upon his death in 1990 he left an art collection and extensive properties within the Dunmoochin area, to be developed and maintained by the Dunmoochin Foundation.
By preserving its natural and cultural heritage and providing access to its residential properties, studios and art collection, the Dunmoochin Foundation will attract Australian and international artists, environmentalists and scholars and will promote an understanding and appreciation of Australia’s unique bushland and culture.
About Clifton Pugh
Clifton Pugh died on the 14th of October, 1990. He donated his properties and extensive arts collection to The Dunmoochin Foundation, supplying artists with studio and residential studios in the Australian bush. The artists come from all art forms and countries. The Dunmoochin Foundation also undertakes the preservation of a large area of bushland.
Education
Born: Bethesda Hospital, Richmond, Melbourne, VICTORIA. 17th December, 1924.
Education: Attended various schools in Victoria, and then-Swinburne Technical College: Cartoon Drawing, evening classes, Melbourne, 1940.
South Australian School of Arts and Crafts: Life Drawing, evening classes, Adelaide, 1942.
National Gallery School of Victoria: Drawing School, Feb. 1948 to Sept. 1948.
Painting School, Feb. 1949 to Sept. 1952.
War Service
Served in the Australian Army during W.W II.
For his services he was awarded:
1939/45 Star.
Pacific Star.
War Medal.
Australia Service Medal.
Family
Married three times. Two sons; Shane born in 1953, and Dailan born in 1955.
Major Exhibitions
Exhibited widely from 1955 onwards in Australia, USA, Britain, Mexico, New Zealand, Israel, Japan and Canada.
1957 March: First Major One-Man Show, Victorian Artists’ Society,Melbourne.
1959 Represented In Australian Art Matson Lines Exhibition Touring San Francisco And Los Angeles.
1960 May : Contemporary Australian Art, Auckland Art, Auckland City Art Gallery, New Zealand.
1961 June: Contemporary Australian Art, Whitechapel Gallery, London.
1963 February: Represented In An Exhibition Of Australian Paintings, Tate Gallery, London.
1964 Australian Art Exhibition, Touring Capital Cities In Australia And Europe.
1966 February: One-Man Show, Artists’ Guild Gallery, St Louis,U.S.A.
1967 September: Represented In Young Australian Painters Exhibition, Japan.
1967 Expo ’67, Montreal, Canada (Mural).
1970 April: Major Retrospective, Commonwealth Institute, London.
1973 March: Exhibition Of Israel Paintings, Dunmoochin, Melbourne.
1975 March: One-Man Show, London Gouaches, Athol Gallery, Isle Of Man.
1976 May: One-Man Show, Crane Kalman Gallery, London.
1979 August: One-Man Show, Municipality Of Tel Aviv, Israel.
1980 One-Man Show, Leda And The Emu, Rudy Komon Gallery, Sydney.
During The 1980’s Painted H.R.H Prince Phillip. Travelled Extensively Throughout Europe And Exhibited In England
1981 One Man Show, Greenhill Gallery, Perth.
1983 Wildflowers Of Kings Park , Greenhill Galleries, Perth.
Entire Exhibition Purchased By R , Holmes A Court.
1984 One Man Show, Realities Gallery, Melbourne.
1985 One Man Show, Australian Gallery, Melbourne.
1985 Received A.O. – The Order Of Australia. For Services To The Arts And Environment
1986 Nieman Marcus, Dallas, Texas USA
1986 One Man Show, Gallery 499, Melbourne.
1987 One Man Show, Greenhill Galleries, Perth
1987 The Legend, Leda And The Emu, Exhibited Adelaide Festival Of ArtsEntire Show Purchased By Melbourne Businessman.
Book Published 1988 Bay Publishing
1988 Painted Sir Edward (Weary) Dunlop.
1988 Painted Dame Mary Durak.
1988 Bi-Centennial Exhibition, Holdsworth Gallery, Sydney
Stage Designs: Various Stage And Set Designs.
Books
Involvement, by Andrew Grimwade, Sun Books, Melbourne, 1968
Patterns Of a Lifetime, by Traudi Allen, Nelson Melbourne, 1981
After Fire: Clifton Pugh, by Sally Morrison, Hardie Grant, 2009
Films
Painting People (Commonwealth Film Unit).
Bird and Animal (Eltham Films).
Four Painters (ATV Channel 0, Melbourne).
See It My Way (ABC Channel 2, Sydney).
The Diamantina ( De Montignie Media Productions)
A Fragile Country
Collections
The Art Gallery of South Australia.
Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria.
The National Gallery of Victoria.
The University of Sydney, N.S.W
The Art Gallery of New South Wales.
The University of Queensland, Brisbane.
The Queensland Art Gallery.
The Australian National University,ACT.
The Art Gallery of Western Australia.
University of Manchester, UK.
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.
National Gallery of Malaysia.
The Newcastle Art Gallery.
The Leningrad National Ballet, USSR.
All Victorian Provincial Galleries.
Bremen Gallery, Germany.
The University of London.
H.Mertz Collection, Washington, USA.
The University of Melbourne, Victoria.
S.Picker Collection, Richmond, UK.
The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
HRH Prince Phillip Collection.
Prizes
1954 The Audrey Gibson Prize.
1956 Bronze Medal for painting, Olympic Games, 1956 (Portrait of a Painter, Kevin Meynell).
1958 The Maude Vizard-Wholohan Trust Prize (The World of Shane and Dailan).
1958 The Bendigo Art Prize (Landscape).
1960 The Crouch Prize for Watercolour (Swamp Bird).
1965 The Archibald Prize (Rupert Henderson).
1971 The Archibald Prize (Sir John McEwen).
1972 The Archibald Prize (The Hon. E. G. Whitlam).
1976 The Masters’ Choice: Caltex Prize (Cat in a Rabbit Trap).
1976 The Albury-Wodonga Prize: in conjunction with the Council of Merced, California (Along the Murray Valley).