Events and talks

If you would like to know more about upcoming events, please get in touch with Shawn.

Upcoming events:

Wednesday, 25 February 2026 —University of the Third Age. (Private event)

Sunday, 20 September 2026 — Castlemaine Art Museum

Past events:

25 October 2024 —ANU Drill Hall Gallery, Australian National University, Canberra
24 November 2024 —Heide Gallery, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne (Watch the video here)

Slides from ‘Untold Story of Gray Smith’ talk. All images Courtesy of the Smith Estate. © Smith Estate. Used with permission via CAL.

Available talks

The Untold Story of Gray Smith in Australian Modern Art

When we think of French Impressionists, names like Monet and Renoir spring to mind; similarly, in Australian Modernism, we recall Sidney Nolan and Joy Hester. But what about the thousands of other brilliant artists?

Among them stands Gray Smith (1919–1990), a significant yet overlooked figure in the Heide Circle. An award-winning painter and poet, Smith’s vibrant works earned acclaim across Australia, France, and England, with a piece even residing at MoMA. Despite his influence, Smith has been maligned as ‘merely a picture framer’, obscuring his true impact on Modernist art. Join Shawn Callahan, award-winning author of Putting Stories to Work and Gray’s son-in-law, as he delves into the captivating tale of creativity and unrecognised talent. This talk will shine a light on the obscured legacy of an important contributor to the Australian art scene, exploring why some artists remain in the shadows while others become icons.

45 minutes.