Roderick Shaw

Rod Shaw was born in the Sydney suburb of Drummoyne and studied art at East Sydney Technical College in the late 1930s. During WWII, he worked in the RAAF at the Commonwealth Aircraft Factory painting camouflage with Australian artist William Dobell.

After the war in 1945 Shaw, a Communist Party of Australia member founded the Studio of Realist Art [SORA]. SORA was formed to “bring art into closer relationship to contemporary life. The founders of the Studio believe that art today can only be revitalised if the artist is prepared to draw upon the varied experience that he will gain from the world about if he has the vision to see and the humanity to feel.” It was through his work at SORA that Shaw organised art classes and taught drawing for members of Waterside Workers Federation.

In addition to his own studio work, Shaw had founded the publishing company of Edwards & Shaw, which produced art and poetry books and was progressive in fighting against censorship in publishing. He served on the editorial board of the journal Outlook in addition to providing cartoons and illustrations.

While SORA had folded in 1948, Shaw's association with the Waterside Workers Federation continued as he taught workshops and summer schools with the Wharfies Art Group. In 1953 he began work on a mural in the canteen at the Federation's building in Sussex Street. The mural aimed to depict the story of the Labor Movement from the 1890s strikes onwards and would use students and other artists from the Wharfies Art Group.

Shaw later taught art at Sydney University’s Tin Sheds and at East Sydney Technical College.