Artist Database

Georgina Ormiston was born in Chelmsford, Essex, UK, in 1903. She studied at art schools in London, UK, and Glasgow, Scotland before moving to South Africa in 1929. Ormiston set her artistic aspirations aside for twenty-three years, instead immersing herself in family life and raising her children. She returned to painting in 1952 and found success six years later during her first solo exhibition at Whippman’s Gallery in Johannesburg. Three more popular exhibitions followed. In 1965, Ormiston was chosen as one of ten artists to represent South Africa at the Grosvenor Gallery in London. The following year, she exhibited at the Republic Festival exhibition held in Pretoria. Unfortunately, Ormiston developed cataracts, which greatly affected her eyesight, and, consequently, her artistic production. She sadly passed away in 1967, just fourteen years into her artistic career and after only creating over one hundred works. Ormiston’s paintings are mostly held in private collections, but examples can be found in the William Humphrey’s Gallery in Kimberley, Durban Art Gallery, Pretoria Art Museum, and the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch.