Robert Hannaford

Robert (Alfie) Hannaford was born in Riverton, South Australia in 1944 and grew up on his family farm.

He is a self taught artist. He worked as political cartoonist for the Adelaide Advertiser from 1964 -1967 and has been a full time artist since 1970.

In 1969 Hannaford won the inaugural AME Bale Art Scholarship and he worked in Melbourne from 1969 – 1973 .

In 1990 he won the Doug Moran Portrait Prize

He has entered the Archibald Prize each year since 1991 and has been a finalist every year that he has entered. He has won the Peoples Choice Award for his Archibald entries in 1991, 1996 and 1998.

In 1998 he was commissioned to do the bronze sculpture of Sir Donald Bradman which is positioned in the parklands outside the Adelaide Oval.

Hannaford was the inaugural "Fleurieu Peninsula Landscape Art Prize" Winner in 1998.

In 2001 he was commissioned by the Commonwealth Government to paint the Centenary of Federation 2001. The painting now hangs in Parliament house, Canberra, alongside the Tom Roberts Federation 1901 painting. Robert did more than one hundred individual sketches from life of each of the members of parliament and others in preparation for the painting.

In 2001 Robert undertook a six month artist – in – residency at Sydney Grammar School.

Hannaford has painted many contemporary portrait commissions during the last 40 years including paintings of Dame Joan Sutherland, Sir Donald Bradman and Paul Keating, he is also well know for his landscapes, still lifes, nudes and sculptures.

He now lives, paints & sculpts with his wife Alison Mitchell at his home near Riverton SA.

In 2008 he opened the Riverton Light Gallery and sculpture studio in Riverton.

Robert is a keen conservationist being joint founder of the Bushland Conservation Company formed in 1975.

With his wife Alison he collects seeds and propagates the endemic species of the flora of his region.

For many years Hannaford has researched and been involved in the revival of the local aboriginal ngadjuri tribal culture and heritage.