A Life of Artistry and Craft
Christian Waller was an Australian printmaker, illustrator, muralist, and stained-glass artist. Born in Castlemaine, Victoria, she studied painting at the Castlemaine School of Mines and later at the Bendigo School of Mines. At fifteen, she moved to Melbourne to study at the National Gallery School under Frederick McCubbin and Bernard Hall. Throughout her career, she worked under both her maiden name, Yandell, and her married name.
As a professional stained-glass artist, Waller was highly sought after, with a five-year waiting list for commissions following the Second World War. Her glasswork adorns over 20 churches across Victoria and New South Wales. In addition to her work in glass, she was a leading book illustrator, notably becoming the first Australian artist to illustrate Alice in Wonderland in 1924. Her graphic work included powerful linocuts produced on her own press, including the set of seven prints titled The Great Breath.
Graphic Works and Stained Glass
Waller's artistic output spanned various media and subjects:
- Printmaking: She was known for bold linocuts that featured symbolic references to classical, Arthurian, Egyptian, and Hermetic lore, as well as astrology and numerology.
- Illustration: Her work supported numerous publications, such as Melba's Gift Book of Australian Art and Literature.
- Stained Glass: Between 1927 and 1953, she produced more than one hundred and twenty individual stained-glass panels, employing innovative techniques.
- Murals: Her mural work included a Nativity for Christ Church, Geelong, and The Robe of Glory for Fawkner Crematorium.
