Doris Lusk New Zealand, 1916-90

Doris Lusk was born in Dunedin, the youngest daughter of an architect, Thomas Younger Lusk. Drawing and painting were major interests during her childhood spent in a rural area bordering the Waikato River just outside Hamilton. With the advent of the Great Depression the family returned to Dunedin. Doris Lusk attended Otago Girls' High School and enrolled in the art school of King Edward Technical College in order to pursue her ambition of becoming a painter. Here she met Anne Hamblett (later to marry Colin McCahon ) and was taught by Charlton Edgar and R.N. Field. Another influence was the English painter Russell Clark, at that time employed as a commercial artist by the printing and publishing firm, John McIndoe. Lusk attended his life drawing classes and was an active participant in the lively art scene which grew up around this romantic figure. In 1942 Doris Lusk moved to Christchurch where she lived for the rest of her life. She became involved with a highly influential association of artists know as "The Group". She worked as a commercial artist for three years before teaching painting privately and in schools, and later being appointed lecturer at the Canterbury University School of Fine Arts. Lusk has painted in oil and watercolour and exhibits with the Christchurch Group.

Our database records art auction sales of works by Doris Lusk from 1984 and in total 282 works by the artist have been offered for sale, of which 168 (60%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $51,699 for Landscape - French Bay, Titirangi sold by Webb's in June 2005. This year 5 works have been offered for sale. Works by Doris Lusk are held by the Christchurch Art Gallery, Auckland Art Gallery and a further two major public national galleries (see list below).