1958

In 1958, Geelong local and longtime Geelong Gallery supporter Gladys Bell presented Geelong Gallery with Flower study by Ernest Buckmaster, an impressive oil painting capturing the refined skill and detail of Buckmaster’s work. 

Gladys owned a property in Ocean Grove called Broome Cottage, which was awarded a National Trust heritage award for restoration works in 2021. Gladys was said to live an extravagant lifestyle, often travelling the world and once hiring a taxi to drive her from New York to Mexico.