HOPE, Esther Studholme née Barker 1885–1975

Elder daughter of John Mathias Barker of Waihi, Woodbury, New Zealand; educated at Miss Bowen's School in Christchurch. Her first art teacher, when she was a child, was Captain Temple (q.v.) of Geraldine. She later had lessons from Margaret Stoddart. In 1911 when the family travelled to England she stayed on in London and studied at the Chelsea Polytechnic under Borough Johnson, under Spenlove, and at the Slade under Tonks, Russell and McEvoy. She travelled in Europe, painting in many countries: was caught with a group of artists in Brittany in 1914 when the war broke out. She drove lorries and worked as a V.A.D. In 1919 returned to New Zealand and married runholder N. Hope. From 1920 she lived at the Grampions Station in the Mackenzie Country. In her role of page 131 runholder's wife she used to take a grubber with her on her painting expeditions and grub out the broom which was invading the countryside. The Hopes retired to Timaru in 1956 but the paintings she is mainly known for are watercolours and gouaches of the Mackenzie Country. Exhibited RA, Royal Institute of Water Colours, Scottish Water Colour Society and the Paris Salon. Represented in McDougall, DPAG, and Aigantighe Art Gallery, Timaru.