Lot 83: Georgina Ormiston (South African, 1903-1967) 'Marine Phantasy'

'Marine Phantasy'
signed and dated 'Ormiston 62' (lower right); inscribed with title (verso)
oil on composition board
65.5 x 91.5cm (25 13/16 x 36in).

Georgina Ormiston's artistic career was tragically short. She exhibited for the first time in 1958, but by 1967 was dead, having painted less than one hundred works.

1962 saw her paint some of her finest work; Ritual Dance, which hangs in the Pretoria Art Museum, and Extra-terrestrial Vision, which hangs in the Rupert Collection, are perfect examples of her mature style of this year and eloquently show the intensity of her Abstract Expressionism.

By 1963 Ormiston was reaching the end of her sad and strange artistic career, and encroaching illness made continuation impossible.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
H. Martienssen, 'Georgina Ormiston', in Our Art III, (Pretoria, 1978)