Pamela Lofts

Pamela Lofts (9 August 1949 – 4 July 2012), also known as Pam Lofts, was an Australian children's book illustrator and exhibiting artist based in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. She is best remembered as the illustrator of the Australian classic children's books, Wombat Stew by Marcia Vaughan and Koala Lou by Mem Fox.[1] Although known for her book illustrations, she was also a photographer, painter, and sculptor.

Biography

Lofts was one of two children born to Dorothy and Rory Lofts.[2]

Lofts first moved to Alice Springs in 1980.[3] In response to a lack of contemporary arts activity in Alice Springs, she and four other local artists, established an artists-run initiative called Watch This Space in 1993.[4] Lofts became its first coordinator.[5]

During the 1980s, Lofts illustrated some of Australia's best known children's books, including Marcia Vaughan's Wombat Stew in 1985 which has been widely translated and inspired a series of children's road safety posters in New South Wales. It has also been voted the most popular book in the children's book awards' KOALA Hall of Fame with 13 nominations.[6] She also worked closely with children's author Mem Fox, illustrating Koala Lou, Hunwick's Egg and Sail Away: The Ballad of Skip and Nell.

Lofts was a successful exhibiting artist in the mediums of drawing, painting and performance who had 27 solo shows across Australia from 1992 to 2002 and was also represented in almost 70 group exhibitions including four Togart Contemporary Art Award exhibitions.[5][7] She was also visiting artist at the Australian National University's National Institute for the Arts in 2002.[8] Her work is held in the collection of Araluen Arts Centre.[9]

Lofts died 4 July 2012,[10] having had Motor Neurone Disease for two years.[11]

Selected works

Books
  • Wombat Stew by Marcia Vaughan (1984) - illustrator ISBN 9780868962580
  • An Aboriginal Story series (1980s) -
    • How the birds got their colours told by Mary Albert (1983) - compiled by ISBN 9780868962641
    • How the kangaroos got their tails told by George Mung Mung Lirrmiyarri (1983) - compiled by ISBN 9781865046259
    • Dunbi the owl told by Daisy Utemorrah (1983) - compiled by ISBN 9780868962658
    • The echidna and the shade tree told by Mona Green (1984) - retold and illustrated by ISBN 9780868962665
    • When the snake bites the sun told by David Mowaljarlai (1984) - compiled by ISBN 9780868962672
    • Warnayarra the Rainbow Snake: an Aboriginal story told by the Senior Boys Class, Lajamanu School (1987) - compiled by ISBN 9780868963211
    • The kangaroo and the porpoise: an Aboriginal story told by Agnes Lippo (1987) - compiled by ISBN 9780868963280
    • The bat and the crocodile: an Aboriginal story told by Jacko Dolumyu and Hector Jandany (1987) - compiled by ISBN 9780868963266
  • Sail Away: The Ballad of Skip and Nell by Mem Fox (1986) - illustrator ISBN 9780868963556
  • Koala Lou by Mem Fox (1988) - illustrator ISBN 9780140540635
  • Yarrtji: Six Women's Stories from the Great Sandy Desert (1997) by Tjama Freda Nappanangka, Payi Payi Napangarti, Martingale Mudgedel Napanangka, Kuninyi Rita Nampitjin, Nanyuma Rosie Napurrula, Millie Skeen Nampitjin; compiled and edited by Sonja Peter; translations by Tjama Freda Napanangka, Patricia Lee Napangarti - compiled and edited by ISBN 9780855752606
  • Hunwick's Egg by Mem Fox (2005) - illustrator ISBN 9780670042302

Artwork

Lofts' work is held in the following permanent collections:

Her (created with Pip McManus) sculpture Storyleaves is displayed in the Public Art Precint, Alice Springs Airport.[16]

Awards

Exhibitions
  • Obscured by Light (2012), Araluen Arts Centre[19]
  • Old Stories Our Stories Now Stories (2021, 2022), Araluen Arts Centre[20]
  • Groundrush (group) (2018), Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Gorman Arts Centre[21]

Legacy

Following her death Lofts made a bequest to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, which is funded by the royalties from her books, and this bequest has already resulted in The Yirara Mix Book,[22] written and illustrated by students of Yirara College in Alice Springs.[23]

Watch This Space's annual Lofty Awards, which recognise an individual's contribution to the arts in Alice Springs ("The Pam Lofts Award for High Endeavour in Central Australian Contemporary Art"[24]), are named after her.[25][26]

Institutions that hold ephemera relating to Lofts include the State Library of Victoria,[27] and the Art Gallery of NSW.[28]

References
  1. Reading, Better. "Pamela Lofts". BETTER READING. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  2. "Pamela LOFTS Death Notice". Sydney Morning Herald. 13 July 2012. Archived from the original on 21 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  3. "Pamela Lofts, 1949 – 2012 – Alice Springs News". Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  4. "Our History". Watch This Space. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  5. Mcmanus, Pip. "An artist for our place and time – Alice Springs News". Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  6. "Hall of Fame". KOALA. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  7. "pam lofts | eyeline contemporary art magazine australia". www.eyelinepublishing.com. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  8. Lofts, Pam; Australian National University. National Institute of the Arts. School of Art (2002), What am I doing here, Australian National University, National Institute of the Arts, School of Art, retrieved 17 January 2020
  9. "Pamela Lofts | Araluen Arts Centre". araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  10. Sleath, Emma (5 July 2012). "Alice arts identity dies". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  11. "Pamela Lofts". www.penguin.com.au. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  12. "Mightbe Somewhere (from the Threshold series)". araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au. Araluen Arts Centre. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  13. "NCACL Art Project Artist:Pamela Lofts" (PDF). www.ncacl.org.au. Compiled by Max Brown. National Centre for Australian Children's Literature. December 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. "NCACL Art Project Artist:Pamela Lofts" (PDF). www.ncacl.org.au. Compiled by Max Brown. National Centre for Australian Children's Literature. December 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  15. "NCACL Art Project Artist:Pamela Lofts" (PDF). www.ncacl.org.au. Compiled by Max Brown. National Centre for Australian Children's Literature. March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  16. Chris Raja (May 2011). "Northern Territory: Sculpture Takes Flight". Art Monthly Australasia. No. 239. Art Monthly Australia. p. 60. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  17. "Pamela Lofts: Awards for Works". austlit.edu.au. AustLit. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  18. "YABBA Hall of Fame". yabba.org.au. Young Australians Best Book Awards Council. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  19. Kieran Finnane (15 March 2012). "Antics and elegy guide tour into a bright land of shifting shadows and memories". Alice Springs News. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  20. "Old Stories Our Stories Now Stories". mutualart.com. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  21. Sally Priorar (11 April 2018). "Capital Life: Goldmine at Gorman". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  22. Murphy, Dan. "Bequest yields first book and 'a true message to Australia' – Alice Springs News". Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  23. Abbott, Anne Marie; Armstrong, Melton; et al. (2015), "The Yirara mix book [catalogue entry]", Trove, Indigenous Literacy Foundation, ISBN 978-0-9924780-5-6
  24. "The Annual Lofty Awards". Watch This Space. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  25. "Artist remembered in annual award night – Alice Springs News". Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  26. "The Annual Lofty Awards". Watch This Space. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  27. Pamela Lofts: Australian Art and Artists file, 2008, retrieved 31 March 2022 – via Trove
  28. Pamela Lofts: Australian Art and Artists file, 1992, retrieved 31 March 2022 – via Trove
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