Information on Toss Woollaston

Sir Mountford Tosswill "Toss" Woollaston, born in 1910 in Taranaki, New Zealand, is celebrated as a pivotal figure in the country's art history. His journey as an artist and his personal life interweave in a narrative that not only highlights his creative achievements but also illuminates aspects of LGBTI history in New Zealand.

Woollaston's early years were marked by a profound exploration of his sexual identity. He met Rodney Kennedy, a fellow art student, in Dunedin, and they became lovers in 1932. This relationship was a significant chapter in Woollaston's life, as it shaped his understanding of love and sexuality. Despite marrying Edith Alexander in 1936, Woollaston maintained a close friendship with Kennedy, reflecting the complex emotional and sexual dynamics of his life.

Woollaston's autobiography, "Sage Tea," candidly details his early sexual experiences, including an affair with another young man and his time at art school. These experiences were not uncommon for young men of his era, many of whom explored same-sex relationships in their youth before marrying later in life. The ongoing friendship between Woollaston, his wife Edith, and Kennedy was reflective of broader social patterns, where former male lovers often remained part of the social circles of married couples.

Professionally, Woollaston is recognized as one of New Zealand's most important 20th-century painters. His artistic journey began in the late 1920s as a horticultural worker in the Nelson area, where he discovered the art of painting and its expressive potential. He studied art at the Canterbury School of Art in Christchurch and later in Dunedin, before settling in Mapua, near Nelson. Here, he became part of a vibrant circle of local artists and writers, including Colin McCahon and Charles Brasch. After World War II, he moved to Greymouth, where the dramatic West Coast landscape became a major influence in his art.

Woollaston's art style evolved significantly over the years. His early work was characterized by a restricted range of dull earth colors and reduced blues and greens, inspired by the sun-drenched landscape of Mapua. He aimed to paint the light absorbed into the earth, a concept that resonated deeply with his personal experiences and surroundings. His later paintings, particularly in the 1950s, grew in size and abstractness, focusing more on the elemental energy and linear rhythms of the landscapes he depicted. By the 1970s, his panoramic landscape paintings had become significant, transforming the familiar New Zealand scenery into a painted 'floating world'. His contributions to art were recognized in 1979 when he was knighted for his services to painting, becoming the first New Zealander to receive such an honor for art.

Woollaston's life and work offer a fascinating insight into the intersection of art, personal identity, and societal norms in New Zealand. His artistic legacy, marked by his unique approach to landscape painting, remains influential, while his personal journey reflects broader themes of love, identity, and acceptance in the context of New Zealand's evolving social landscape.

Further information can be found at:

• teara.govt.nz
• en.wikipedia.org