Ally was preciously employed at the National Film and Sound Archive at the National Museum and also at the National Portrait Gallery. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from ANU and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Cultural Heritage Management from University of Canberra.

She is currently researching oral history “as witness” and later this year will travel to Afghanistan to interview Australian troops for the National Collection.

The subject for the address, “The Deceiving Eye”, will revolve around the use of camouflage and its importance in military use particularly in World War II.  

Australian artists and photographers were employed to develop the military’s approach to camouflage.

Frank Hinder was the artist who was crucial to the success of this scheme and in 1988 his previously unseen photographs were donated to the War Memorial.  

They show his experiments with shade, colour and shape which helped create the designs that were applied to trucks, helmets and uniforms.  

Hinder’s approach to camouflage is also connected to the modern work of the Australian official war artist eX de Medici, who attended Hinder’s drawing classes as a youngster.

The exhibition “The Deceiving Eye” is currently being held at the War Memorial where camouflage is examined from the colonial wars to the Afghanistan war.

Despite the advance in technology and techniques Hinder’s basic techniques as seen in his photographs has remained essential.

Ally will discuss these techniques and talk about the exhibition which is fascinating viewing.

The afternoon will commence at 2pm  on Sunday, June 18 with the cost of $20 for adults and $12 for concession tickets.

For further information and booking please contact Joan Hurst on 6342 4135 or 0434 552 098 or email jonieh@bigpond.com.

Proceeds go towards the annual Cowra Canowindra HSC Scholarship.