The Donald Friend Diaries: Chronicles & Confessions of an Australian Artist

Explore the rich tapestry of Australian art through *The Donald Friend Diaries: Chronicles & Confessions of an Australian Artist*. This extraordinary trade paperback, published in 2010 by The Text Publishing Company, compiles a collection of intimate diary entries representing one of the greatest autobiographical efforts in Australian history. With over 496 pages, these writings chronicle the life of Donald Friend, an artist who declared at just fourteen that he would become famous for his art. Within these pages, you’ll discover powerful reflections and compelling stories involving notable figures such as Russell Drysdale, Margaret Olley, and even Mick Jagger. The inclusion of lost wartime diaries, recently rediscovered, brings fresh insights into Friend’s experiences across Australia, England, Italy, and Bali. His candid explorations into love, career, and creative expression provide a captivating glimpse into the mind of a passionate artist. The diaries are more than just reflections; they reveal Friend’s relentless pursuit of artistic mastery and truth in his craft. Shipping is free on this item, making it a valued addition to any collection of Australian art literature. *The Donald Friend Diaries* is ideal for art lovers, historians, and anyone seeking inspiration from a true Australian icon.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781921656705
Format: Trade paperback (UK)
Year: 2010
Publisher: The Text Publishing Company
Pages: 496


Description:
At age fourteen, Donald Friend declared- 'Have done quite a lot of painting lately, and have made up my mind that I shall be an artist. And I shall be famous!' Friend achieved his aim. He also left behind more than two million words of brilliant, intimate diary entries - one of the greatest acts of autobiography in Australian history. This is the first single-volume selection of these writings and includes material from the two 'lost' wartime diaries recently unearthed in America by Ian Britain, along with handsome sketches by Friend. Everyone is here- Russell Drysdale, Margaret Olley, Jeffrey Smart, Robert Helpmann, Barry Humphries and Robert Hughes, Mick Jagger and Gore Vidal. Friend's frank and often acerbic reflections trace his career, acquaintances and love affairs - in Australia, England, Italy, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Bali - as well as many of the notable characters and events of the twentieth century. Most of all, the diaries attest to his ceaseless desire to understand and master his art. 'Neither love, food, writing, money or music, nor flattery nor sincere admiration nor the company of friends (all the things I am most partial to),' Friend wrote, 'could seduce me from my painting.' Reworked into a chronological narrative, and supplemented by material from correspondence and interviews, The Donald Friend Diaries reveal an extraordinary Australian life.

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