Bill Caldwell

As a little boy, Bill Caldwell was fascinated by the pictures in his story books and spent endless hours trying to copy them. Caldwell’s parents, living in Torquay and encouraging his passion, enrolled him in a correspondence course at the Armstrong Academy of Art in Melbourne at the tender age of nine, on the condition that he practiced every day. It was a really disciplined drawing course, upon which grew the foundation of his art throughout his journey; drawing.

Awarded Highly Commended in the 2025 VAS Winter Select Exhibition for Lunch at Montepulciano

Later, at art school, Caldwell was encouraged to pursue a career in graphic design - advice he happily followed, having no ambition to be a painter at all. While working in advertising, he met his wife Dale and in 1965 they lived and worked in London, before returning home and establishing their own independent design studio. Though only a little family business, the client list included BHP, banks, mining companies and the National Gallery of Victoria. Very rewarding and very stressful.

Sunday Morning

Oil on linen

Living in Eltham in 1967, he met Alan Martin, one of Max Meldrum’s students, who introduced him to the world of tonal painting. It was like turning a light on - the start of Caldwell’s oil painting career. Balancing the design business with his new-found passion, he became a member of the ‘Seven Painters’ group, presenting seven annual exhibitions at the Victorian Artists Society and two in Adelaide.

Mending Nets, Greece

In 1973, Caldwell took time out from graphic design to live with his wife and their four-year-old son on the Greek island of Rhodes, painting and exhibiting there full time. Upon his return, he established his own painting school in a purpose-built mud brick studio at his home in Eltham. The studio is still there, unused.

Lunch at the Musee d’Orsay, Paris

Oil on linen

In 1979, Caldwell won the Mount Waverley/Singapore Airlines prize - a trip to Rome. In the following years, he spent extended periods living and painting in Greece, Italy and France; subjects often seen in his work.

Carcoar, NSW

Watercolour

In 1981, he won the Camberwell Rotary Club prize and has exhibited with various commercial galleries. His work finding its way into collections in England, USA. Greece and Japan, as well as throughout Australia. Moving to Mount Martha, Caldwell returned to teaching oil painting at the Peninsula Arts Society, a position from which he has recently retired, after fifty years of teaching. He has been awarded a Life Membership of the Peninsula Arts Society.

Still Life Artist, Fiona

Oil on linen

     Camberwell Art Prize 2017

In 2004, Caldwell was elected to the Twenty Melbourne Painters Society, where he currently holds the position of Secretary, having also served as President. In 2017, he won the Camberwell Art Prize for a second time. An active member of the Victorian Artists Society, Caldwell participates in the regular exhibitions there, recently receiving awards in the Winter Exhibition and the Australian Guild of Realist Artists exhibition, as well as preparing for the Twenty Melbourne Painters Exhibition at VAS in October.

The Painting Class, Peninsula Arts Society

Oil on linen

Today, Caldwell’s passion for traditional painting continues undiminished; working in oils, watercolour and pastel while all still adhering to that long-held foundation of drawing.