25 Facts About Christian Waller

Christian Marjory Emily Carlyle Waller was an Australian printmaker, illustrator, muralist and stained-glass artist.

Christian Waller signed and exhibited her work under her maiden name in her early career, but later used her married name.

Christian Waller was born in Castlemaine, Victoria, to Emily and William Yandell, a plasterer, who died when she was five, when she moved to Langston Street, Bendigo, to live with her sister Florence and husband Alexander James Sclater.

Christian Waller studied painting at the Castlemaine School of Mines under Carl Steiner and then at the Bendigo School of Mines with Hugh Fegan.

Christian Waller moved to Melbourne in 1909 at age fifteen, where she studied at the National Gallery School under Frederick McCubbin and Bernard Hall and exhibited in the Singer Depot windows in The Block, Collins Street, in 1910.

Christian Waller illustrated numerous publications, such as Melba's Gift Book of Australian Art and Literature, many published by Edward Vidler.

Christian Waller met and married fellow-student Mervyn Napier Waller in 1916.

Christian Waller did not become a member but joined the library and attended lectures.

Christian Waller exhibited extensively at the usual venues: the Victorian Artists Society, Robertson and Mullens and the New Gallery.

Christian Waller's work was appreciated by critics and sought after.

Christian Waller's linocuts exhibited Art Deco tendencies stylistically, while having a range of symbolic references drawn from classical and Arthurian mythology, Egyptian and Hermetic lore and astrology and numerology.

Christian Waller created linocut bookplates for many of her friends.

Christian Waller wrote a second book The Gates of Dawn, illustrated with lithographs, but put it aside to help Napier with his Newspaper House mosaic commission, and unfortunately never published it.

Beside her graphic works, Christian Waller was a leading professional stained-glass maker, being at the time one the few acknowledged Australian woman professionals, beside contemporaries Amalie Colquhoun and Nora Burden.

Christian Waller was extensively patronised by the architect Louis Williams.

In 1915 Christian married fellow art student Napier Waller who enlisted in 1916 and served in France, where he lost his right arm to injuries.

Christian Waller learned to use his left hand while recuperating, during which time Christian supported them with her extensive book illustration.

Christian Waller was especially sought after by Edward Vidler to illustrate poetry and fiction and her drawings, exhibited widely, were admired by collectors.

Lit by windows high up on a mezzanine 'minstrel gallery' was a hall in which they entertained their friends including their neighbour Norman McGeorge and the musicians Bernard Heinz and Fritz Hart, for whom Christian made posters and concert decorations, and Percy Meldrum, architect of Newspaper House which Napier decorated with a mosaic, with furniture designed by the Wallers and painted by Christian in the Arts and Crafts manner and made for them by the Goldman Manufacturing Co.

The Wallers were childless but Christian gathered around her a group of young people who she referred as her 'children' and whom she mentored; Ron Meadows, Harry Tatlock Miller and Hilda Elliott, who became lifelong friends.

Christian Waller assisted in the studio and their relationship was close; Christian encouraged Pate's talents and she became a significant Australian ceramicist, her work influenced by Christian's ideas.

Christian Waller spent the rest of her life at Crown Road immersing herself in her work and becoming increasingly reclusive.

Christian Waller suffered from heart disease but continued to work, fulfilling an endless stream of commissions.

Christian Waller had to give up work in the early 1950s and died aged 59 of hypertensive heart disease in May 1954.

Christian Waller was cremated and her ashes interred at Fawkner Crematorium, where some years before she had painted The Robe of Glory.