Skip to main content
Menu

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Not your average teacher’s pet!

She was his ‘greatest student’ but in the end Ivy Shore chose between Graeme Inson, her life’s love – and art, her life’s work.

1 Ivy Shore, 1961 Graeme Inson. © Harvey Shore, Currently on display. 2 Artist, Mr. Graeme Inson in his studio in Sussex St. City, 26 June 1975 Sydney Morning Herald © Sydney Morning Herald.

A handwritten note accompanied Graeme Inson’s 1961 portrait of Ivy Shore, donated to the National Portrait Gallery in 2014: ‘Ivy in an orange raincoat … at the beginning of our relationship and amidst a turbulent break-up of an unhappy marriage’. It was this break-up that led Shore to take up painting lessons, and her teacher and mentor Inson subsequently moved in with his ‘greatest student’. But Ivy’s work found success as she departed from Graeme’s strict ‘Meldrum’ method in developing her own style, creating tension between her two loves. Shore maintained harmony by building a studio away from Inson’s disapproving eye, and entering the women-only Portia Geach prize (rather than competing against Graeme in the Archibald). In the end, Ivy sacrificed her creative outlet, giving up painting in 1993 for the sake of the relationship.

Halfway, heartthrob! You are 5 stories away from seeing your love score...

Choose your next love story

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency