Blanche Wormald was a New Zealand painter who also worked with textiles during the 1940s and 1950s. Two of the pieces represented in the Applied Arts collection are from fabrics printed by Blanche in the 1950s. The remaining three were reprinted from Blanche's original lino blocks by Ingrid Dubbelt for the 1950's show at the Auckland Art Gallery.

click on each image to view image galleries

Blanche Wormald (Hazelwood) grew up on a farm in Northcote and went to Elam from 1925 to 1934. She was one of the founding members of the Rutland Group (an alternative painting and exhibiting body established in the 1930's by Elam students and graduates), and continued to meet and exhibit with them for almost 25 years.

Later they met as "the Monday Nighters" at fellow artist Nan MacGregor's home, sharing the cost of a model. Blanche was part of a group of women who developed their fabric block printing into a creative craft for the tourist market in the 50's.

"Blanche Wormald has also developed new designs by interpreting native art, then applying the result to fabric printing. All this artistry is quite important. After all in most countries in the world, every effort is made to preserve historical, traditional designs, folk-lore, and native handwork. If New Zealand does not follow suit, much will be lost, and in years to come our nation will be considered poorer." N.Z Woman's Weekly October 12, 1959.

Blanche's painting output increased with her overseas trips and she continued to produce work into her nineties. She currently lives in Auckland.

From information held in the Auckland Art Gallery research Library and conversations with Thelma Butterworth and Jean Clarkson in May 2002.