History of the ACA
The publication in 1919 of Smith's Weekly by former Lord Mayor of Sydney, Sir Joynton Smith, Claude Mc Kay, Clyde Packer and JF Archibald, co-founder of The Bulletin, was responsible for the resurgence of Australian illustrators and cartoonists and their resulting influence in the national daily press. Smith's was primarily an illustrated broadsheet newspaper carrying whole pages of cartoons, political comment and comic strips.
The Black and White Artists' Society was formed on 17 July 1924 by a group of cartoonists meeting in a room in the Royal Arcade, Sydney, who elected Cecil Hartt as the club's first president. Hartt, a good friend of poet, Henry Lawson, was the first artist to join Smiths' Weekly and remained there until his death in 1930.
Founding members of the Society (later changed to club) read like a Who's Who of Australian art: Reg Russom, Unk White, Syd Nicholls, Jack Quayle, John Wiseman, Jack Baird, Joe Jonsson, Cyril Samuels, Frank Jessop, Brodie Mack, Mick Paul, Harry J Weston, Jack Waring, Syd Miller, Arthur Mailey, FH Cumberworth and Fred Knowles.
Among the Society's early members was Stan Cross, one of the original Smiths' cartoonists, considered by many to be one of Australia's greatest newspaper artists. In July 1933, he drew what is still said to be the funniest joke ever produced in Australia - "For gor'sake, stop laughing: this is serious!" which became the inspiration for the Club's annual awards - The Stanleys statuettes, depicted in gold, bronze and silver. His comic strips in clude 'Wally and the Major', 'The Potts' (later drawn by Jim Russell) and 'Dad and Dave'. He was the Club's president from 1931 - 54.
Other early members include Jim Russell, who joined Smiths' Weekly in 1924, later becoming political cartoonist at the Evening News. He served as Club president from 1955-57 and 1965-73. In 1978 he was awarded the MBE and in 1984, elected as the Club's patron. Jim Bancks worked on The Bulletin magazine for eight years and later as political cartoonist for the Evening Star. He was at one time Australia's highest paid black and white artist, earning 80 pounds a week in the 1920s. His best known comic strip is, of course, 'Ginger Meggs', which began life as 'Us Fellers' in 1922.
The years between the two World Wars were remarkable in Australian journalism and saw the full flowering of the truly Australian comic strip. May Gibbs, a West Australian artist who settled in Sydney in 1916, became famous for her 'Bib and Bub' comic strip from 1924 to 1967 and was awarded an MBE for her services to Australian literature in 1955. The most celebrated black and white illustrator of his time was Norman Lindsay, who along with his artist/cartoonist brothers Percy and Lionel, contributed to The Bulletin, for almost 60 years, his last contribution being published in 1967.
Other illustrious black and white artists know for their work nationally and in many cases, internationally, include Emile Mercier, political cartoonist on The Truth and Daily Mirror during the war and on The Sun until his retirement in 1971. Dan Russell, brother of Jim, a political cartoonist on The Advertiser and The News in Adelaide, was elected Club president in 1977. Tony Rafty, political and sports cartoonist since 1940 and former president of Sydney Journalists' Club, was elected Club president in 1975 and awarded the Order of Australian (OAM) in 1990.
Norman Hetherington (co-creator of TV puppet character Mr Squiggle) was awarded an OAM in 1990 as was Monty Wedd, who has produced comics since 1947, among them 'Captain Justice', 'The Scorpion' and 'Space Rangers'. Bill Pidgeon (WEP), well known illustrator for The Women's Weekly among other publications, won the Archibald Prize in 1958, 1961 and 1969. Eric Jolliffe joined Smiths' Weekly in 1944 and although born in England, was best known for his typically Australian characters, 'Saltbush Bill' and, "Witchetty's Tribe'.
After working in television in Australia, James Kemsley worked in London on Punch, taking over the drawing of 'Ginger Meggs' soon after his return. He was club president from 1988 to 1990 and was made a life member in 1991. Paul Rigby's cartoons were run in News Limited papers across Australia, followed by a five year stint in London at The Sun and News of the World and 12 years on The New York Post and New York Daily News. Pat Oliphant began his career in Adelaide on the News and Advertiser. He moved to the US, working on The Denver Post and The Star in Washington. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1976. Reputed to be the most widely syndicated and highest paid cartoonist in the world, he has twice been named Artist of the Year by the National Cartoonist Society of America.
In 2000 the Australian Black and White Artists' Club formally changed its name to the Australian Cartoonists' Association.
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