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Ludmilla Meilerts was an immigrant artist who painted Melbourne and its environs in the mid 20th century.

Ludmilla Krastins was born in 1908, the 11th of 12 children, in a country town near Riga Latvia. ^[1]

She was growing up at a time when Latvia was experiencing an awakening of national identity after centuries of foreign occupation. In 1918 Latvia proclaimed independence and there followed a brief period where economic growth fostered an improvement in quality of life alongside a flourishing of culture and the arts.^[2]

After completing her teacher studies, Ludmilla worked as a librarian before enrolling in the Academy of Fine Arts in Riga in 1929. ^[3] During her time at the academy, she came under the mentorship of Professor Wilhelm Purvitis, a master landscape painter of the French Impressionist style. Under his guidance she learned to paint en plein air. Purvitis believed that the study of nature was intrinsic to artistic endeavour and that a student must be self-disciplined, relentless and consistent in the pursuit of professional development, because talent alone would not suffice. The atmosphere at the academy under Purvitis's directorship encouraged his students (the future modernists) to find their individual expression and search for contemporary inspiration. ^[4]

After graduating in 1940, Ludmilla married Otto Meilerts and at the end of WW11, when the Russians invaded their homeland, they fled to Germany where they lived as refugees. Despite enduring the many hardships of living as a displaced person, Ludmilla continued to paint and in 1946, to the amazement of the German community, she held her first solo exhibition in Stuttgart.^[3]

In early 1948 Ludmilla and Otto took the opportunity to migrate to Australia under the new immigration policy which sought to boost Australia's work force with European immigrants. They were contracted to work for two years as unskilled labourers in exchange for assisted Passage.^[5]

On arrival in Australia in 1948, Ludmilla wasted no time in contributing to the local art scene. While still a resident in the Bonegilla Migrant Camp, she entered a local art competition, and in 1948 Ludmilla was invited to contribute three works to the annual exhibition of the Society of Artists in Sydney. This exhibition was opened by Daryl Lindsay, director of the National Gallery Victoria, who noticed her work and encouraged her to hold her first solo exhibition the following year. ^[6]

In August 1948 Ludmilla was invited to participate in Annual Exhibition with the Independent group of Artists at Athenaeum Gallery, Melbourne. Her works were appraised by the The Herald Art Critic who compared her Bush landscape to Van Gogh with its "lyrical colour and vigorous drawing". ^[7]

In April 1949 Ludmilla held her first solo exhibition at the Georges Gallery in Melbourne which was opened by Major-General P. K. Norris. In an article titled "Modern Art Can Be Beautiful', the Herald art critic opined that most modern art tends to depict ugliness, whereas Ludmilla demonstrates that "pictures of beauty and charm can be painted by modern methods." ^[8] The Age Art Critic also wrote about the exhibition noting that 'her style is distinctive ... the artist has shown that a fresh vision may find material in the local scene capable of being rendered in a higher chromatic range than was hitherto suspected. Both her flower pieces and landscapes go beyond a visual record and express the quintessence of her subject' ^[9] The exhibition was a great success, and one of her flower paintings was purchased fo the National Gallery of Victoria. ^[10]

With her usual energy and optimism, Ludmilla embraced her new homeland and, despite her lack of a studio, she continued to paint with a passion. Together with her husband Otto, she took trips to countryside Victoria to paint landscapes, her favourites being Beechworth, Sunbury and the Western District. At one time she exclaimed that, "Australia is so different ... everywhere it is gold, gold, gold, and that's so hard to paint. In Europe the colours are softer." ^[11]

During the early 1950's Ludmilla was a regular finalist in the prestigious Dunlop Art Prize. In the inaugural prize competition, she shared equal fifth prize together with Fred Williams. First prize was won by Sidney Nolan, second by William Frater with Arthur Boyd third and Charles Bush and Len Annois sharing fourth. She was a finalist again in 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1954, continuing to be selected alongside the foremost Australian artists of the time. ^[12]

In Melbourne she painted views of the city streets, where on one occasion, her activity attracted so much attention that she was moved into a shop window and continued to paint from there. ^[13] In the 1950's, 60's and 70's, Melbourne was transitioning into a modern metropolis, and while she captured prominent buildings such as the State Library and Flinders Street Station, she also depicted construction sites inclusive of random structures and hoardings. One of these cityscapes was recently acquired by the City of Melbourne (insert link)

Water held a great attraction for Ludmilla and one hot summer she decided to go to the Yarra river to paint. She went to Princes Bridge in the heart of the city and painted the boats there. Some of the boats were houseboats and she became friendly with the people living on them. Over time, Ludmilla travelled further down the river towards the South Melbourne docks where she painted the waterfront with its tugboats, cranes and sheds. She painted in all weather conditions, capturing the dynamic atmospheric variations, often including city buildings in the background. The dock workers, many of whom were immigrants themselves, accepted and related to her as a fellow "New Australian", even sharing their lunches together. ^[14]

In order to maintain financial security, it was necessary for Ludmilla to continue her work as a machinist in a clothing factory. The drudgery of this repetitive work took a physical and mental toll on her, and she temporarily gave up painting. However, the need to paint was strong and the solace it gave her was enough to overcome this lapse. ^[15] Any surface was used to paint on, as was displayed in the ephemera which accompanied her retrospective exhibition in 2014: cardboard from cereal boxes or soap powder boxes etc.

Throughout her life in Melbourne, Ludmilla kept close ties to the Latvian community. She Sang in a Latvian choir, exhibited alongside other Latvian artists and maintained many friendships within the community. ^[16]At the end of her life she bequeathed many paintings to the Latvian retirement village where she spent her last years. She wanted her work to benefit the Latvian community, and the proceeds from a posthumous exhibition were donated to the Committee for Postgraduate Studies for Latvian students in Australia. (Latvian Committee for Postgraduate Studies 1998 exhibition catalogue)

Tributes and Honours.

• 1950 Dunlop Award equal fifth prize with Fred Williams and Jan Nigro (from 700 entries) ^[12]

• 1951 December, won Bendigo Art Prize with 'Gladioli' which was acquired by the Bendigo Art Gallery ^[17]

• 1954 August, artist Esther Paterson holds a reception in honour of Meilerts at the Lyceum Club Melbourne.

• 1955 Art Gallery of Western Australia acquires 'Roses' ^[18]

• 1969 Special prize at Camberwell Rotary Art Show judged by Brian Finemore, curator National Gallery Victoria.

• 1971 Won Gosford Council Art Award judged by historian and curator Daniel Thomas ^[19]

• 1975, 1976 & 1977 prize winner at Royal Melbourne Show

• 1982 Gustave Pirstitz gold medal Victorian Artists Society

• 1987 Publication of monograph 'Meilerts' with text by Valentins Sloss and introduction by Sir William Dargie

• 1994 Included in More Than Just Gumtrees; a personal, social and artistic history of the Melbourne Society of Women

Painters and Sculptors, Melbourne

• 2008 Entry in Dagnia Greste et al Australian Latvian Artists in Australia

• 1949 April, Georges Gallery Melbourne ^[9]

• 1950 March, Athenaeum Melbourne ^[20]

• 1950 September, Book Club Gallery Melbourne ^[21]

• 1951 June, Athenaeum Gallery Melbourne ^[22]

• 1955 August, Athenaeum Gallery Melbourne

• 1982 Honeysuckle Street Fine Art Gallery Bendigo ^[23]

• 1994 August, Victorian Artists Society Melbourne

• 1948 Exhibits with Independent Group Melbourne together with Edith Alsop. Madge Freeman, Fora Serle & Marjorie North ^[7]

• 1950 Dunlop Award Melbourne (equal fifth prize winner with Fred Willuams) ^[12]

• 1951 July, National touring exhibition with Commonwealth Migration Dept.

• 1954 Exhibition of Contemporary Australian Art selected by directors of State Galleries

• 6 Guinea Show, Peter Bray Galleries Melbourne

• Royal Tour Exhibition, Melbourne Town Hall organised by Fellowship of Australian Artists

• 1955 Herald Outdoor Art Show Professional Section

• 1955 October, Festival of Perth Contemporary Art Exhibition.

• 1956 October, Joint exhibition with Latvian artist Margarita Stipnieks at Victorian Artists Society Melbourne

• 1956 December, Group exhibition of Arts and Crafts by Latvian Australian Women Melbourne Town Hall

• 1962 Organises group exhibition of Latvian artists at Victorian Artists Society

• 1969 Camberwell Rotary Art Show