Evelyn Walters (1912-2009)

BiographyBorn in Ballarat, New South Wales, Evelyn went on to study art at the Ballarat School of Mines in 1930. In 1935, she joined the Victorian Art Society in Melbourne where she was introduced to a range of other artists and new political ideas. In 1937 Evelyn joined the Artists branch of the Communist Party, an ideology that would stay with her throughout her life. It was the beginning of a commitment to promote social justice in Australia for many causes protesting against the Vietnam War or Atomic testing at Woomera and for causes such as Aboriginal Rights and the United Nations.

In the 1950's and 1960's, Evelyn, now a mother to Max Walters, made a living out of doing 'quick sketch' portraits at a major Sydney department store during the school holidays and also as a 'fundraiser' for school fetes. It was during this time she was in contact with the Waterside Workers Federation, where many members also belonged to the Communist Party. In addition to teaching life classes for the Waterside Workers Art Group, Evelyn helped paint the 'Wharfies Mural'. Evelyn actually painted the colour portrait in the mural depicting the wharfies leader, Jim Healy. She painted this directly onto the canteen wall, without the use of preliminary sketches, during 1953-54.

Evelyn went to University and at 62 years of age, received her degree as an Art teacher in the NSW Department of Education and taught art at Cabramatta High and other schools for seven years before retiring. On a local level, Evelyn was instrumental in forming the original local Art Society in Fairfield and fought for Nuclear Free Zones for Fairfield and Liverpool Councils. In 2008 a plaque about Evelyn and her achievements was placed outside the Fairfield School of Arts in 2008.

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