Martin Ritchie Sharp (21 January 1942 – 1 December 2013)

Cream album Disraeli Gears, Art by Martin Sharp and Robert Whitaker

Australian artist, cartoonist, songwriter and film-maker Martin Sharp was born today in 1942. From 1963–65, Sharp was the art director and a major contributor to Oz Magazine one of the strongest examples of local satire and topical coverage in 1960's Australia. Oz ceased publication after editors Richard Neville, Richard Walsh and Sharp were charged and convicted of contravening obscenity laws over two trials. Their convictions were eventually overturned.

After the trials the three Oz collaborators made their ways separately to England where a chance encounter with Eric Clapton at London nightclub The Speakeasy led to Sharp co-writing the Cream song Tales of Brave Ulysses and also creating cover art for two Cream albums.

Sharp later shared a residency with Clapton and numerous artists of many disciplines including Phillipe Mora, Germaine Greer and Robert Whittaker. When Richard Neville arrived in London, in collaboration with Sharp and Felix Dennis they set up London Oz which proved more controversial than their previous magazine.

During this period Sharp's work on Oz and collaborations with Cream brought him renown as an artist and he also produced many posters of musicians including Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Donovan.

The entire run of the Australian Oz magazine is digitised and available to read at the University of Wollongong site.

Martin Sharp Remembered by Sylvia Chan at the Sydney Standard.

Below: Martin Sharp cartoons from Oz magazine.

More samples of Aussie Magazine

Previous post on early twentieth century Australian magazine Aussie here. Samples of Leonard Cornwell Mitchell cartoons for the New Zealand edition of Aussie here.

Source: museumvictoria.com.au

Woman's Budget Dec 6, 1924

First published in the beginning of 1906, Woman's Budget was one of the earliest Australian magazines catering specifically to women. This issue was filled with illustrations, illustrated advertising and a two colour Children's Budget centre-fold featuring cartoons by Frank Jessup and Syd Nicholls.

The Sydney Evening News reported the commencement of the Children's Budget on 13th November 1923 with the following article:

NEW COLORED COMIC Children's Supplement to Woman's Budget

A CHILDREN'S supplement In color is the latest improvement In the 'WOMAN'S BUDGET' The humor is clean and Australian In character, and as In the case of the other comlc issued from the 'Evenlng News' Offlce, that in the 'Sunday News,' there Is none of the objectionable slang and risky situations which lead to disfigure the comics copied from American models. The Children's Budget occupies tour pages of the 'Woman's Budget,' and cat be easily detached without Interfering with the rest of the valuable little paper.

Fashion Illustration

Back Cover Advertising

Advertising

The New Nation

The New Nation was an early 20th century Australian magazine published quarterly in Sydney. Originally published under the title P.F.A. Quarterly for several years by the Pastoral Finance Association, after a disastrous fire in 1921 they were absorbed by The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. L.t.d. which retitled the publication The N.Z.L. Quarterly. In 1925 the magazine was retitled The New Nation.

The following article on The New Nation was published on the 10th June 1927 in the New South Wales newspaper The Land.

"The New Nation"

A copy of the June issue of "The New Nation" magazine, the popular, quarterly published by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd. is to hand. The all-round and out standing merit of the quarterly Is splendidly maintained. It is full of interest, entertainment, and instruction for all classes of reader. In "The Romance of Our Times," C. Al Jeffries this time deals with Canberra., and there are opportune reproductions of portraits of Sir Henry Parkes, Sir E. Barton, Sir G. H. Reid, and Mr.'Bruce.

Mr.- Ken Austin. continues his article on the Bruce-Lowe figure system of breeding thoroughbreds, with special reference to such famous horses as Gainsbrough, Captain Cuttle, Pommern, Solario, and Phalarls. There is an article by the late Mr. E. D. E, van Weenen (who was a noted authority on wool and sheep) on "Quantity v. Quality," and on "The Hereford in Australia" by Mr. R. S. Allan. There are also interesting, articles and sketches dealing with the beauties of Honolulu, Village Life in Palestine, the Cathedrals of Sydney, the Girls of Australasia, Farming in South Africa, Dipping Sheep, and Pig Hunting in Maoriland. All the usual features are admirably maintained and the magazine is beautifully illustrated.

The Cartoons of Will Donald

Left to right: Cartoonist Will Donald with his The Gadfly magazine colleagues Percy Martin and Archie. E. Martin (circa 1907-1909)

Delayed from last year The Cartoons of Will Donald will be out in March 2015 from Pikitia Press. Collecting the first six months of Donald's political cartoons form the Worker newspaper published in 1921. The original book has been expanded to include samples of Donald's comic book work and cartoons by his predecessors at the Worker Adam Plass and Claude Marquet.

The Cartoons of Will Donald

A collection of the early work of one of Australia’s pioneers of cartooning, Will Donald.  Donald produced cartoons for socialist newspaper, The Australian Worker socialist, from 1921 -1944.  This collection reproduces in chronological order six months of cartoons from Donald’s first work in March 1921. Donald’s work like his predecessor at The Worker, Adam Plass,  depicted the growing pains of Australia’s unionised workforce and Australian people at odds with the William Morris ”Billy” Hughes led Nationalist Party Government.

Will Donald also contributed to mainstream newspapers of the period with political cartoons and cartoon strips, notably Fashion Plate Fanny. From the 1920’s to late ’40’s Donald created some of Australia’s first original comic books.

Compiled by Matt Emery