Stephen Walker (1927 – 16 June 2014) was an Australian sculptor who was made a member of the Order of Australia in 1985. [1] In 2011, he was inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame. [2]
Walker was born in Balwyn [3] or Colac, [4] Victoria in Australia in 1927. [5] He left school at age 13 [4] but attended Melbourne Teachers' College from 1945 to 1947 [3] before moving to Hobart in 1948. [6] In the 1950s he repeatedly traveled to Europe, studying sculpting under Henry Moore [4] from 1954 to 1956 and visiting Rome, Florence and Prague through scholarships. [3] On his return to Australia he settled in Tasmania. [6]
Walker mainly created bronze sculptures, including the Tank Stream Fountain (1981) in Herald Square near Circular Quay, Sydney and a memorial for Antarctic explorer Louis Bernacchi at Hobart's Victoria Dock. [4] His statues were designed to be usable, for example by strengthening them so people could sit on them. Four of his works are included in the National Heritage Register. [7] Much of his work was inspired by nature and by Antarctica, [6] a continent he visited twice in the 1980s via the Australian Antarctic Division's Humanities Program. [3]
Walker also created medals, including the Royal Society of Tasmania's Joseph Banks Memorial Lecture medal. The Museum Victoria noted his excellence in design. [5] In 1985 Walker was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia "for service to sculpture". [7] [8]
Walker had two children. He died in Hobart on 16 June 2014 of a lung infection. [4]
Stephen Walker (1927 – 16 June 2014) was an Australian sculptor who was made a member of the Order of Australia in 1985. [1] In 2011, he was inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame. [2]
Walker was born in Balwyn [3] or Colac, [4] Victoria in Australia in 1927. [5] He left school at age 13 [4] but attended Melbourne Teachers' College from 1945 to 1947 [3] before moving to Hobart in 1948. [6] In the 1950s he repeatedly traveled to Europe, studying sculpting under Henry Moore [4] from 1954 to 1956 and visiting Rome, Florence and Prague through scholarships. [3] On his return to Australia he settled in Tasmania. [6]
Walker mainly created bronze sculptures, including the Tank Stream Fountain (1981) in Herald Square near Circular Quay, Sydney and a memorial for Antarctic explorer Louis Bernacchi at Hobart's Victoria Dock. [4] His statues were designed to be usable, for example by strengthening them so people could sit on them. Four of his works are included in the National Heritage Register. [7] Much of his work was inspired by nature and by Antarctica, [6] a continent he visited twice in the 1980s via the Australian Antarctic Division's Humanities Program. [3]
Walker also created medals, including the Royal Society of Tasmania's Joseph Banks Memorial Lecture medal. The Museum Victoria noted his excellence in design. [5] In 1985 Walker was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia "for service to sculpture". [7] [8]
Walker had two children. He died in Hobart on 16 June 2014 of a lung infection. [4]