Shire of Northam Art Collection

The Shire of Northam art collection started in 1952 when Sir Claude Hotchin presented 33 Australian original works of art to the people of Northam. His aim was to encourage art and culture in Western Australia and to enable people living away from the city to enjoy art in their own districts.

Following the initial bequest of the Hotchin collection, pieces have been either donated to the collection, purchased by the Shire of Northam as the winning piece of the annual Northam Art Prize acquisitive art awards, or purchased by Council. Today the Shire of Northam art collection consist of more than 140 pieces by both local and well-known artists and represent a wide range of styles and mediums.

Sir Claude Hotchin was an important art collector and benefactor of public galleries in Western Australia. He believed that ‘good pictures are things of beauty and character.’ He always enjoyed visiting art galleries and resolved to purchase as many Australian paintings as he could afford. He began collecting seriously in 1937, his preference was for Australian pastoral landscapes.

He was active in hosting art exhibitions at various venues and in 1947 he opened the Claude Hotchin Art Gallery in Perth. In 1948 he inaugurated the Claude Hotchin Art Competition for Western Australian artists which was awarded annually until 1973. He was a member of the Arts Council of Australia, a trustee of the Perth National Gallery and W.A. Chairman of the Arts Section of the Commonwealth Jubilee celebrations.

In 1972, he bequeathed $10,000 to the Art Gallery of Western Australia which they used to establish the Sir Claude Hotchin Art Foundation and between 1948 and 1977 Hotchin donated an estimated two thousand original paintings to galleries, hospitals, shire councils and other public institutions throughout the State in an effort to 'stimulate art appreciation'.

Art Collection Gallery

The Claude Hotchin Bequest :

3. 'Frosty Morning' by Robert Richmond Campbell (1907-72)

4. The Valley of the Murray by Verners Linde 

6. 'Mother and Child' by Kathleen O'Connor

7. The Chittering Valley by Allon Cook

14. River Mists by Edward Kimpton

15. The Little White Church by Max Ragless

17. Autumn on the Tumut River by Dudley Parker

18. Bay of Islands by Audrey Greenhalgh

19. Roleystone by Ernest Philpot

20. The Old Malthouses by Francis Roy Thompson

22. In the Shade of the Trees by Herbert Gallop

25. 'Autumn Morning, Hume Hwy Yass' by Gordon Elsing

26. Golden Valley by Robert Johnson

27. 'Bellkracana Flinders Range' by Travis Webber

33. Black Butts by Howard Barron

37. Green Valley by George Benson 

39. Deserted Beach by Arthur Merric Boyd Snr.

40. Quiet Moorings by Marshall Clifton

41. Picnic Spot by Kenneth MacQueen 

42. Scene Near Berwick by Rah Fizelle

44. 'Old Melbourne' by Leith Angelo

45. Towards Henty by Thomas Bone

46. The Silver Lining by Cyril Lander

47. Fishing Party by Percy Ivor Hunt

49. Light and Shadow by James Goatcher

51. Dinghy by Portia Bennett

52. Spring Offering by Ellen Chappell

53. To the Quarry by Mollie Flaxman

Shire of Northam Art Prize Acquisitions: 

11. Flowers and Eucalyptus by Judy Lambert

12. Winter Time - York by Harold R Pride

38. 'A Touch of Spring' by Helen Sounness 

54. Avon in Flood by Doug Irvine

55. 'My Tangled Garden' by Marlene Page-Sorrin

56. Pemberton Blues II by Drewfus Gates

57. 'Salt Pan' by Tim Williams

59. Almond Blossom by Georgie Dwyer

66. Female Redtailed Black Cockatoo by Cherrie Stott

67. 'Laying the Line - 1903' by Phillip Doncon

70. 'South to the Cape' by Ian R. Hill

71. 'The Horse Race' by Anne Ashman

72. 'City Life' by D Hodges 

73. Late Afternoon Storm by Jane Kos

74. 'The Avon at Spencers Brook' by T Brian Aylwood

78. Shadow on the Grass Tree by Jeanette Lewis

84. 'Old Dorson's Cottage' by Nicholas Anthamasoff 

86. Untitled by Helen Sounness

90. Waiting for the Cobbler by Drewfus Gates

92. 'Memories of the Past' by Marlene Page-Sorrin

107. 'Hidden Secrets' by Vicki Sangster 

118. "Outback Moses"- Jack Charles by Graham Smith

144. 'So Many Happy Ever Afters' by Tanya Jaceglav

Other Donations & Acquisitions:

8. Upper Reaches of the Seine by Will Ashton 

16. Bartolime Carmona Riding Bodgeguero by Frank Pash (Print)

21. Portrait of Hon. George Throssell MLA

24. ARG Hawke by Alex Risco

28. Industrial Extracts by by Peter Rohan

29. Wittenoom Gorge by Peter Rohan

30. Karri Forest by Peter Rohan 

31. York Looking North by Peter Rohan

32. Breakfast by Edward Barron

34. Misty Mornings by Peter Rohan

48. Olgas Central Australia by Walter Ebatarinja

50. 'St Saviours AD 1862' by Peter Rohan

58. Buckland by Don Lobban

60. 'The Old School East Northam' by Margaret Shenton

61. Northam in April, Devon England by Alice Paterson

62. Marlene's House by Craig Boulter

63. 'The Late K F McIver MLA' by D’Hange Yammannee 

69. The Piper Calls the Tune by Christine Elaine Hunt

79. Northam Group Tapestry by Beth Byfield

85. 'Early Light - Toodyay' by Maureen Wells

87. Lake Gwellup by Heather Jones

88. 'Countryside at Northam' by Dulcie Armstrong 

89. Beach Scene by Paris

93. 'The First Church of Northam' by Alice L Paterson

96. George Throssell, artist unknown 

100. Untitled by Terry Maitland

102. Queen Elizabeth II Portrait by Baron

103. Life Force by Anne Ashman

105. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

112. Reproduction of WA Syndicate who Discovered the Eastern Goldfields

113. Fitzgerald Street Northam early 1900's, Historical Photograph

114. Avon Bridge Hotel 1938, Historical Photograph

117. Bernard Park Northam by Chris Nixon

119. 'The Residency Northam, 1904' by F Batty

120. Still Life Fruits by Pam Northey

145. Wardong and Manidj by Kirk Garlett

146. Ballardong Boodja by Bradley Kickett