B 1920
At 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s 1926-1936
Maria Kuhn (nee Mary Corrie) was a talented artist who primarily produced sculpture but whose artistic abilities were very versatile. She was also accomplished at using a variety of media and techniques including casting, carving in wood, stone and marble, design, mural decoration, pen and ink, charcoal, chalk pastel, watercolours, oils and copper oxide.
She attended the Melbourne Technical College as a scholarship holder where she spent three and a half years training in sculpture and drawing. While studying, Maria completed work including producing mannequin figures for shop displays as well as the ceiling of the tuckshop. A sculptured portrait of the Victorian Minister for Labour and a number of fountain pieces were also executed by her. Maria made her own benches and wooden tools under the guidance of Eduard Kuhn, an Australian wrought iron artist, whom she later married in 1945.
Maria had a unique ability to produce her sculpture without sketches and directly from memory, except in the case of portraits and life studies.
Maria returned to Brisbane in 1941 and was appointed a full-time teacher of drawing at the Central Technical College.
She joined the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) in 1943 and served in New Guinea. She had an art studio in a shed at Victoria Barracks where she made many models and drawings of AWAS personnel, including soldiers in action, in a bid to publicise the various activities of the different branches of the women’s service.
Maria’s works were shown at several exhibitions.
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