Kilmeny Niland (1950 – 27 February 2009) was a New Zealand–born Australian artist and illustrator. While best known for her children's book illustrations, she worked in a wide range of genres, including animation, wildlife art, miniatures, portraits, cards and prints. She won numerous prizes in national and international competitions, and one of her portraits was purchased by Australia's

National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to: * National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra * National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred *National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C. *National Portrait Gallery, London ...

, in

Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...

. With her twin sister

Deborah According to the Book of Judges, Deborah (, ''Dəḇōrā'') was a prophetess of Judaism, the fourth Judge of pre-monarchic Israel, and the only female judge mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Many scholars contend that the phrase, "a woman of Lap ...

, she illustrated a children's version of

Banjo Paterson Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson, (17 February 18645 February 1941) was an Australian bush poet, journalist and author, widely considered one of the greatest writers of Australia's colonial period. Born in rural New South Wales, Paterson worke ...

's poem '' Mulga Bill's Bicycle''.

Life

Kilmeny Niland and her twin sister

were born in Auckland, New Zealand, to New Zealand–born Australian author

Ruth Park Rosina Ruth Lucia Park AM (24 August 191714 December 2010) was a New Zealand–born Australian author. Her best known works are the novels '' The Harp in the South'' (1948) and '' Playing Beatie Bow'' (1980), and the children's radio serial '' ...

and her husband, the author and journalist

D'Arcy Niland D'Arcy Francis Niland (20 October 191729 March 1967) was an Australian farm labourer, novelist and short story writer. In 1955 he wrote '' The Shiralee'', which gained international recognition in its depictions of the experiences of a swagman a ...

.Stephens, Tony (2009) "Artist's passions ran deep: Kilmeny Niland: 1950-2009" (Obituary)
''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuous ...

'', 12 March 2009, p. 22 She had three older siblings: Anne, Rory and Patrick, who had been born in Australia. The family returned to Sydney and lived in

Neutral Bay Neutral Bay is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Neutral Bay is around 1.5 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of North Sydney Council. Neutral Bay takes ...

and then Balgowlah Heights. The twins were educated at Saint Cecilia's Primary School and Stella Maris College. Both then studied art at

Julian Ashton Art School The Julian Ashton Art School was established by Julian Ashton in 1890 as the "Academy Julian", (perhaps a reference to the Académie Julian in Paris) has been an influential art school in Australia. For a long time it was known as the Sydney Art ...

. Their father died in 1967, and some time after their mother took them to London with their brother Patrick, who had been offered a place at the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...

. Kilmeny Niland married writer and researcher Rafe Champion in 1979. They had four sons: Leo, Hugh, Patrick and Tom. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991. In May 2008, she was diagnosed with

non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), also known as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is a group of blood cancers that includes all types of lymphomas except Hodgkin lymphomas. Symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, weight loss, and tire ...

, and died of the disease in February 2009.

Career

Kilmeny and Deborah started their careers by working freelance in London. Their first collaboration, ''The Little Goat'', was published in 1971. By this time, the sisters were back in Australia, living in Cremorne, Sydney. They collaborated on eleven more books. They also worked on animation at Eric Porter's studios in Sydney. During her lifetime, she published 47 books: 12 were illustrated by her with Deborah, 13 were written and illustrated by her, and 34 were texts by others which she illustrated.

Awards and nominations

* Visual Arts Board award, 1974, for ''Mulga Bill's Bicycle'' (with Deborah) * IBBY Honour Diploma, Illustration, 1976 for ''Mulga Bill's Bicycle'' * Whitley Awards, Best Children's Book, 1980, for ''Feathers, Fur and Frills'' * Faber Castell Grand Prize at the Combined Australian Societies of Miniature Art, 2000

Works

As illustrator

* ''An Aussie Night Before Christmas'' (2005) * ''Blossom Possum : The Sky is Falling Down-under'' (2006) * ''Callie's Castle'' (1985) * ''Callie's Family'' (1988) * ''

Clancy of the Overflow "Clancy of the Overflow" is a famous Australian poem written by Banjo Paterson and first published in '' The Bulletin'', an Australian news magazine, on 21 December 1889. The poem is typical of Paterson, offering a romantic view of rural life, ...

'' (2002) * ''Fair Dinkum Aussie Christmas'' (2007) * ''Fairy Tale Picture Dictionary'' (1979) * ''Fey Mouse'' (1988) * ''The Gigantic Balloon'' (1975, with Deborah Niland) * ''The Gingerbread Man'' (2006) * ''Grandad Barnett's Beard'' (1988) * ''How Many Dogs in the House?'' (2004) * ''Just Like That'' (1986) * ''Matthew and the New Baby'' (1986) * ''Mulga Bill's Bicycle'' (1973, with Deborah Niland) * ''My brother John'' (1990) * ''Old Witch Boneyleg'' (1978) * ''One-eyed Jack and Other Rhymes'' (1975) * ''Pancakes & Painted Eggs : A Book for Easter and All the Days of the Year'' (1981) * ''Riverview Kids'' (1971, with Deborah Niland) * ''Roger Bandy'' (1977, with Deborah Niland) * ''Sheep shape'' (1992) * ''Tell Me a Tale : Stories, Songs, Verses and Things To Do'' (1974, with Deborah Niland) * ''Tell Me Another Tale : Stories, Verses, Songs and Things To Do'' (1976, with Deborah Niland) * ''The Farm Alphabet'' (1973, with Deborah Niland,) * ''The Haunted Castle'' (1979) * ''The Land and the Spirit : An Australian Alphabet'' (1992) * ''The Little Goat'' (1971, with Deborah Niland) * ''The Ugly Duckling'' (2006) * ''The Window Book'' (1992) * ''The Zoo Alphabet'' (1980, with Deborah Niland) * ''Travelling Songs of Old Australia'' (1966, with Deborah Niland, uncredited) * ''Wishbone'' (2002) * ''What Am I?'' (1974, with Deborah Niland)

As author and illustrator

* ''Animals at Home'' (1995) * ''Animals at Large'' (1995) * ''Animals at Play'' (1994) * ''Animals at Work'' (1994) * ''An Aussie Day before Christmas'' (2008) * ''A Bellbird in a Flame Tree'' (1989) * ''Birds on a Bough : A Counting Book'' (1975, with Deborah Niland) * ''Bright Eyes and Bushy Tails'' (1984) * ''Fat Pat'' (2008) * ''Feathers, Fur and Frills'' (1980) * ''My World'' (1981) * ''Two Bad Teddies'' (2009) * ''Two Tough Teddies'' (2007)

As author

* ''The Tall Man and the Twelve Babies'' (2010, with Tom Niland Champion)

External links

Niland's website

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Niland, Kilmeny 1950 births 2009 deaths Australian illustrators Australian children's book illustrators English-language haiku poets 20th-century poets 20th-century Australian women writers 20th-century Australian writers 20th-century Australian women artists 20th-century Australian artists Australian women children's book illustrators Julian Ashton Art School alumni Sibling artists