Table of Contents

Introduction 7
1. March 1908–January 1927: 'I spent much of my time dreaming and drawing' 13
2. February 1927–June 1930: 'Making use of my newly acquired freedom' 31
3. June 1930–August 1934: 'I was precocious' 49
4. September 1934–July 1938: 'Live in a suitcase' 71
5. August 1938–June 1941: 'Idealistic socialist' 105
6. July 1941–November 1942: 'I wish to serve the arts' 129
7. December 1942–February 1944: 'I shall soon have my world in order' 153
8. March 1944–August 1945: 'I have taken stronger monastic, pacifist vows' 179
9. September 1945–July 1947: 'The second Sun Goddess is born' 203
10. August 1947–October 1949: 'My life of painting will be a more simple one' 223
11.October 1949–December 1952: 'The strain of those years has quite gone' 241
12. January 1953–May 1955: 'N.Z. Has more than enough to offer' 259
13. June 1955–July 1959: 'Some paintings have deeply affected me' 279
14. August 1959–January 1965: 'I find the world satisfying, seeing, knowing & painting' 299
15. February 1965–December 1967: 'Live to paint' 323
16. January 1968–January 1970: 'Drawing tombstones has become quite an event' 343
Epilogue 365
Acknowledgements 379
List of illustrations 382
Notes 386
Bibliography 432
Index 441

Promotional Information

• The first and only biography of this very significant artist is back in print and fully revised
• Distinguished, award winning author, of Toss Woollaston: A Life in Letters (Montana shortlisted) and Peter McLeavey: The Life and Times of a New Zealand Art Dealer
• Interest in Angus is steadily growing
• Rita Angus exhibition opening at Te Papa in December 2021
• Includes hundreds of beautiful reproductions of artworks and personal photos

About the Author

Jill Trevelyan is a Wellington art historian and curator. She is the editor of Toss Woollaston: A Life in Letters (Te Papa Press, 2004) and the co-author of Rita Angus: Live to Paint & Paint to Live (Random House, 2001). Her biography of Peter McLeavey won the book of the year award at the 2014 New Zealand Post Book Awards.

Reviews

'Making use of a cache of 400 letters written by the artists and composer Douglas Lilburn as well as the many published writings, books films and personal accounts Trevelyan has made the artist accessible with insights into her professional and personal life which gives us an appreciation of how and why she produced her art.' – NZ Arts Review; '… the first and only bio of Rita Angus, feminist, pacifist, socialist, has been juiced and spruced by Jill Trevelyan … It’s stacked with the works of one of our best-loved painters …' – NZ Listener.