Douglas Annand

Douglas Annand was one of Australia's leading twentieth century designers. He was also a watercolourist, textile designer, muralist and sculptor of great originality. Born in 1903, Annand attended art classes at Brisbane's Central Technical College. From the 1930s on he created a sophisticated corporate image for many Australian companies - producing stylish magazine covers, stunning poster designs and innovative advertising for clients such as David Jones, Farmers, the Orient Line and Atlantic Union Oil. Unlike many designers he opted to stay in Australia rather than working abroad. In doing so he established new standards for Australian designers, creating images that were international and modern in their philosophy, yet recognisably Australian.

Annand was the principal designer for the Australian Pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair and his award winning murals appeared on the walls of many private and public buildings including Jantzen Australia and the restaurant of the Orient Lines ORONSAY. Annand developed a close association with Sir Colin Anderson, the innovative director of the Orient Line and was commissioned to design posters, menus, murals, carpets and textiles for the company and its liners. From the mid 1940s Annand produced imaginative textile designs and throughout the 1950s and 1960s was commissioned to create sculpture and screens in glass and metal for several company headquarters.

Ref: Douglas Annand ' The art of life' National Gallery of Australia travelling exhibition - text panels.