As a well known South Australian artist Tom Gleghorn recalled a defining moment in his life in a publication by the University of Adelaide: After arriving in Australia at the age of three his family settled at Warners Bay on Lake Macquarie. Just after he started school he established a friendship of sorts with a hard drinking, uncouth ruffian called Joe Westcott. One evening Westcott told him about and read to him Aesop’s Fables. This gave him a thirst for education and knowledge. Westcott was later painted by William Dobell. The painting is entitled The Billy Boy.

As a young man he was reading works by Santayana and other philosophers. Still he had completed an engineering apprenticeship and his path in life seemed to be set. Then in 1949 he and his wife of two years visited the Art Gallery of NSW and saw two paintings by Dobell which captured his imagination. This second ‘defining moment’ started him on the path to becoming an artist.

A year later he left his engineering job and started to work in display design in Newcastle. He never has any formal training in art but he did get encouragement from Dobell. At the age of 30 and now with two children he moved to Sydney and he worked as an artist/designer with retail stores. This led in turn to him becoming the director of the Blaxland Gallery in 1958. In the same year he won the watercolour section of the Mosman Art Prize with a painting entitled Fragment of the Crucifixion and the Blake Christus Prize with Head of Christ.

Robert Hughes writing in an article in 1959 said that opinions were sharply divided about Gleghorn. He had been referred to as a glorified commercial artist, as a fraud, as a bright young man who will fizzle out in a few years. On the other hand Hal Missingham called him the greatest painter in Australia. He came to art at a time when abstraction was in fashion in Australia and his subsequent career seems to show an enduring artist talent.

From: www.australian-art-gallery.com

THOMAS GLEGHORN OAM

Born: 2.6.1925, Thornley, England.

BACKGROUND:

Served engineering apprenticeship with the Broken Hill Company ltd, Iron& Steel Works, Port Warratah, Newcastle, N.S.W.

No formal art training.

BIOGRAPHY:
Appointed Director, Blaxland Art Gallery, SYDNEY, N.S.W. 1958.
Appointed Teacher of Art and Design. National Art School 1960.
Awarded Helena Rubenstein Travelling Scholarship, 1961.
Travelled and studied in Europe, 1962- 1963.
Awarded British Council Grant, 1962.
Appointed Head of Canberra Art School in 1968.
Appointed Lecturer of Art, Bedford Park Teachers College,
ADELAIDE 1969.
Chairman of Art Department, Bedford Park Teachers College, 1971-1972.
Churchill Fellowship in Education for 1973.
Senior Lecturer of Art, Sturt College of Advanced Education, ADELAIDE, 1973-1982.
Painting full time 1983 onwards.
Awarded 30 Art awards throughout Australia.
- Honorary Research Fellow. Life Member of CRN.L.E.* Flinders University Centre for Research in the New Literature in English.
Awarded Order of Australia O.A.M, Australia day 2006

EXHIBITED IN THE FOLLOWING OVERSEAS GALLERIES.

• Francis Kyle Gallery, Maddock Street, London. Wl UK.
• Galeria Samagra, 55 Rue Jacob, Paris, France.
• Martin Tinney Gallery, 6 Windsor Place, Cardiff, Wales. UK.
• Galerie La Tour des Cardinaux, 4 Rue des Rollin.
• L'isle-sur-Sorgue, Provence, France

SELECTED INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS

1959 Macquarie Galleries, Sydney. Drawings.
· Newcastle Art Gallery. Paintings.
· Gallery 43, Melbourne. Drawings.
1960 Macquarie Galleries, Perth. Drawings.
· Skinner Galleries, Perth. Drawings.
1961 Bonython Galleries, Adelaide. Paintings.
· Johnstone Gallery, Brisbane. Paintings.
1963 Stone Gallery, England. Paintings.
· Skinner Galleries, Perth. Drawings.
1964 Van Bertouch Galleries. Newcastle. Drawings.
· Bonython Galleries. Adelaide. Paintings.
- Bonython Gallery, Sydney. Paintings "Hungry Horse" Gallery.
1966 Macquarie Galleries, Canberra. Paintings.
· Australian Galleries, Melbourne. Paintings.
- Van Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle, Paintings.
1968 Macquarie Galleries, Canberra. Paintings. I
· Van Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle. Paintings.
1969 Rudy Komon Gallery, Sydney. Drawings.
1970 Reid Gallery, Brisbane. Paintings.
1971 Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne. Paintings.
· Macquarie Galleries, Canberra. Paintings.
· Lidums Art Gallery, Adelaide. Paintings.
- Van Bertouch Gallery, Newcastle. Paintings.
1972 Die Gallery, Tanunda,   Paintings.
· Macquarie Galleries, Canberra. Sketchbook Studies.
1973 Macquarie Galleries, Canberra. Poem Paintings.
1974 Macquarie Galleries, Canberra. Souvenirs.
- Desborough Gallery, Perth. Maslins Beach - Paintings.
· The Barn, Adelaide. Maslins Beach - Studies far Paintings.
1975 David Sumner Gallery, Adelaide. Paintings.
- Collectors Gallery, Perth. Paintings.
1976 Town Gallery, Brisbane. Paintings.
· Van Bertouch Gallery, Newcastle. Paintings.
1981 Van Bertouch Gallery, Newcastle. Paintings.
1982 Tawn Gallery, Brisbane. Paintings.
1983 Galden Age Gallery, Ballarat. Paintings. .
1984 Gallery at Man, Kalamunda, Perth. (Festival at Art) Paintings.
· Banythan Meadmare Gallery, Adelaide. Paintings.
1986 Greenhill Gallery, Perth. (Festival at Art) paintings.
· Tynte Gallery, Adelaide. Paintings.
· Greytharn Gallery, Victoria. Paintings.
1987 Adrian Slinger Gallery, Brisbane. Studies and Drawings.
1988 Freeman Gallery, Hobart. Paintings.
· Tynte Gallery, Adelaide (Festival at Arts) Paintings.
1990 Adrian Slinger Gallery, Brisbane.
1991 Van Bertouch Art Gallery, Newcastle.
1992 Greenhill Galleries Adelaide (Adelaide Festival at Arts).
1993 Galerie la Tour des Cardinaux,
· L'isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Provence, France.
1995 70th Birthday Exhibition - Greenhill Galleries, Adelaide.
1996 Holdsworth Gallery, Woollahra, Sydney.
1998 B.M.G. Gallery - Adelaide.
2001 B.M.G Gallery - Adelaide.
2005 80th (Birthday Exhibition - B.M.G. Adelaide.
2005 Stafford Studios – Perth.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

1957 Dickerson, Gleghorn, Coburn. David Jones Gallery, Sydney.
1958 Matson Lines Travelling exhibition.
1959 Australian Paintings. San Francisco. U.S.A.
1960 2nd International Biennale. Tokyo. Japan.
- C.A.S Group Vision Gallery. London. England.
- South Pacific Young Painters. Tokyo. Japan.
- Contemporary Australian Art. Auckland. New Zealand.
1961 Sao Paulo Biennale. Brazil.
- Recent Australian Paintings. Whitechapel Gallery. London.
- Burr - Swartz Australian Collection. Los Angeles. U.S.A.
1962 Collectors Choice. Stone Gallery. England.
- Australian Art Today - Touring Europe & North America.
- Gleghorn Juniper. Skinner Galleries. Perth.
- Petits Format Exhibition. Gallery du Fleuve. Paris. France.
1963 Australian Painting. Tate Gallery. London. England.
- La Grand Toile, Gallery du Fleuve. Paris. France.
1964 Tendencies. Gallery de Fleuve. Ports. France.
- Australian Pointing Travelling Exhibition. Europe.
1965 Young Australian pointers. Tokyo - Kyoto. Japan.
1966 Australian Painting. Auckland. New Zealand.
- Contemporary Australian drawing. Newcastle Gallery. N.S.W.
1967 Young Australian pointers Exhibition.
1970 International graphics. Rijecka. Yugoslavia.
1973 New South Wales House. The Strand. London. England.
1985 Dickerson, Coburn, Gleghorn. Adelaide Festival of Arts. Avenel Bee Gallery.
2001 Post Card Exhibition. Leading Australian Artists. Adelaide. S.A.
- Abstract impressionism. Sydney 1956 - 64 (Alexander Mackie College)
1983 The Moderns. Lorraine Diggins. Melbourne.
1985 Australian Contemporary Paintings and Graphics in Focus. Hong Kong.
1986 Donald Friend. Arch Cuthbertson, Tom Gleghorn. Greenhill Galleries, Adelaide.
1987 Makin and Gleghorn. Work on Roper. Greenhill Gallery. Perth.
1988 John Borrack, Rex Backus-Smith, Tom Gleghorn. Slinger Gallery. Queensland.
- Drawings in Australia. From 1970 to 1980’s Australian National Gallery.
- Artists Camp Exhibition N° VII. Darwin Art Gallery. N.T.
- Images of Religion in Australian Art. National Gallery. Australia.
1989 Prints and Australia: Pre settlement to Present. Australian National Gallery.
- Coburn, Dickerson, Gleghorn. Perth Gallery. W.A.
1990 Gleghorn. Hadley - Freeman Gallery. Hobart. Tasmania.
- Gallerie Samagra. 55 Rue Jacob. Paris. France.
1991 John Bellamy, Tom Gleghorn. Perth Festival of Art. Greenhill Gallery.
1993 Daws, Tucker, Gleghorn, Pugh, Hodgkinson. Queensland House. London. U.K.
2001 Metro 5. Melbourne. Victoria.
- Solander Gallery. Canberra, ACT.
2001 Metro 5. Melbourne. Victoria.
2002 Metro 5. Melbourne. Victoria.
2008   The Crime, Murder and Misdemeanor in Australian Art. Geelong Art Gallery.

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Australian National Gallery.
All Australian State Galleries.
Newcastle Art Gallery. N.S.W.
Brisbane University. Queensland.
New England University. N.S.W.
Reserve Bank of Australia. N.S.W.
I.C.I. Collection. Melbourne.
Laing Art Gallery U.K.
Manchester City Art Gallery. U.K.
Middlesborough Art Gallery. U.K.
Newcastle Art Gallery. U.K.
Geelong Art Gallery. Victoria.
B.H.P. Collection. N.S.W.
West Australian institute of Technology.
Armidale City Gallery.
University of Adelaide.
Newcastle University.
Murdoch University. Perth.
Bendigo Gallery. Victoria.
Artbank Collection
H.R. Duke of Edinburgh Collection (Portrait of David Campbell)
Alexander Mackie C.A.E. Sydney.
Macquarie University.
Freemantle Art Centre. W.A.
Kelvin Grove C.A.E. Queensland.
Mertz Collection. U.S.A.
Woolongong City Collection. N.S.W.
Bathurst Art Collection. N.S.W.
Mosman Art Collection. N.S.W.
James Cook University. Queensland.
Commonwealth Banking Corporation. Adelaide.
Australian National University. Canberra.
Muswellbrook City Collection.
University of Western Australia. Perth.
Churchill Fellowship in Education for l973.
Passenger Terminal. Outer Harbour S.A.
"Landscape Harbour l973". 52' x8' mural.
State Bank. Adelaide.
Beneficial Finance.
Sir Anthony and Lady Chryss O’Reilly. Dublin Ireland.
New Parliament House. Canberra.
Sturt Campus, South Australia. C.A.E.
The Flinders University at S.A.
Grovenor Hotel. Adelaide.
Caon Tucker. Perth.
Ayres Finnis. Adelaide.
Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery. Launceston. Tasmania.
Museum & Art Gallery at the Northern Territory.
Queensland University at Technology. Art Museum.
Adelaide Bank.
State Bank. London.
State Bank. Hang Kong.
State Bank. Perth.
State Bank. Sydney.
S.G.l.C. Adelaide.
I.E.I.
Oceanfast. Freemantle.
National Mutual. Hong Kong.
Sir Rabin and Lady Phillipson Collection. Edinburgh. Scotland.
Edith Cowan University. Perth. W.A.
Adelaide Bank.
Neil Diamond U.S.A

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Australian Painting - 1961 - Griffin Press.
Present Day Art in Australia - Ure Smith
Masterpieces of Australia Painting - Australian Art Library - Gleeson
Encyclopedia of Australian Art - McCulloch
Australian Art - Renniks
History of Australian Art - Professor Bernard Smith
Modern Australian Painting - Donald J. Finley
Australian Landscape Painting - John Reed
Australian Drawings - Elwyn Lynn
Who’s Who in Australia
Art of Australia – 1966 - Robert Hughes
Australian Painting - John Reed
Profiles of Australian Painters — John Heatherington
Larousse Encyclopedia of Modern Art
Visual Arts - Jacaranda Press.
South Australian Painters - Nancy Benko.
History of Australian Painting (revised ed. Bernard Smith)
Modern Art in Australia - James Gleeson
Australian Painting and Sculpture - Kym Bonython
Modern Australian Painting - Kym Bonython
Art Folio N°1 - Paul Milton
Guide to Modern Australian Painting – R.K.Luck.
Foundation in Art - Hopwood
Christian Art in Asia - Masso Tanaka, Dashisha University, Kyoto.
Notable Australians Hamlyn Pty Ltd. Paul.
Australian Water Colour Painters – 1970-1980 - Jean Young (Rigby)
Art and Artists of Australia - Alison Small, McMillan
Artists & Galleries of Australia & New Zealand. Max Germaine
Australian Sculptors - Ken Scarlett. Nelson
The Years of Hope - G Catalano. O.U.P
Heritage of Australian Art - William Kelly - McMillan
Directory of Australian Printmakers - 1988
Images of Religion in Australian Art. 1940-1988. Bay Books - Sydney
Australian Impressionists and Realist Painters – 1990 - Tom Roberts
The Flinders Jubilee Anthology - Flinders University. Adelaide 1991.
A Secret Quest - The O’Reilly Collection. Ireland
S.A. Life. July 2005
‘Allgemeines Kunsterlexikon’ = ‘Universal Artists Dictionary’, published in Leipzig.