Nola Anderson
{{Short description|Australian academic}}
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Nola Anderson is an Australian museum professional, academic, and arts writer. She worked at the Australian War Memorial (AWM) for 25 years, and was one of its assistant directors from 2003 until 2011. She served as the acting Director of the memorial from November 2011 until December 2012, and has since worked as an independent arts and museum consultant. Anderson has written books on the AWM's collection and the career of glass artist Klaus Moje.
Biography
Anderson completed a degree in Fine Arts at the University of Sydney.{{cite web |title=Nola Anderson |url=https://unsw.press/authors/nola-anderson/ |publisher=UNSW Press |access-date=11 March 2023 |language=en-AU}} She taught glassworks at the Australian National University's School of Art during the 1980s.{{cite news |last1=Pryor |first1=Sally |title=Bold visionary invited us behind the looking glass |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7592907/bold-visionary-invited-us-behind-the-looking-glass/ |access-date=12 March 2023 |work=The Canberra Times |date=30 January 2022 |language=en-AU}} As of 1982, she was also one of The Canberra Times art writers.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page12854106 |newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=18 September 1982 |accessdate=12 March 2023 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia|title=Award for writer}}
In 1987 Anderson took up a position at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. She remained at the Memorial for 25 years and worked in roles focused on managing its collection and preparing exhibitions. This included curating several exhibitions and serving as head of Photographs Film and Sound. In 1998 Anderson won a Smithsonian Research Fellowship in Museum Studies that involved a twelve-month residential placement. As of August 2003 she held the position of Senior Curator - Photo, Film and Sound.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article259494978 |title=Korean War photos need identification |newspaper=Air Force News|date=28 August 2003 |accessdate=13 March 2023 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}} In September that year Anderson was appointed one of the memorial's Assistant Directors and the Branch Head National Collection.{{cite web |title=Memorial farewells Nola Anderson|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/media/press-releases/memorial-farewells-nola-anderson |publisher=Australian War Memorial |access-date=11 March 2023 |date=14 December 2012}} She was also active in the Canberra arts community during this period, and in 1995 selected the works that were displayed in the ACT Craft Council's annual exhibition.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article127278823 |title=Jewels fashioned out of everyday objects |newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=5 September 1995 |accessdate=12 March 2023 |page=19 |via=National Library of Australia}}
Anderson became the acting Director of the AWM in November 2011 when the incumbent Director Steve Gower took a lengthy period of carer's leave. She continued in this role until 14 December 2012 when she left the memorial. The Canberra Times reported that AWM staff had expected that Anderson would be selected as the new director, but former Defence minister Brendan Nelson was the successful applicant. He began in this role on 17 December 2012.{{cite news |last1=Ellery |first1=David |title=Memorial has clean sweep of top posts |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6158602/memorial-has-clean-sweep-of-top-posts/ |access-date=12 March 2023 |work=The Canberra Times |date=19 March 2013 |language=en-AU}}
While working as the acting Director, Anderson completed the book Australian War Memorial: Treasures from a Century of Collecting which was published in October 2012. The book provides a history of the AWM's national collection and describes some of the key items the memorial holds.{{cite news |title=War Memorial treasures seen in new light - 9News |url=https://www.9news.com.au/entertainment/awm-treasures-seen-in-new-light/90f7f53c-c819-4482-ac0a-4d9587fc8fca |access-date=12 March 2023 |work=9 News |date=24 October 2012}} As part of a positive review, The Sydney Morning Herald noted that "the tome could only have been produced by somebody with the intimate knowledge of the memorial, its history and the collection Anderson has acquired over the past two decades".{{cite news |last1=Ellery |first1=David |title=Rich tome is itself a treasure |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/rich-tome-is-itself-a-treasure-20121102-28nld.html |access-date=12 March 2023 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=2 November 2012 |language=en}}
Since leaving the AWM Anderson has been an independent consultant in the arts and museum sector. In June 2013 she was appointed chair of the Canberra Glassworks.{{cite news |last1=Pryor |first1=Sally |title=Captivated by art of glass |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6155488/captivated-by-art-of-glass/ |access-date=12 March 2023 |work=The Canberra Times |date=7 June 2013 |language=en-AU}} She remained in this role until August 2017.{{cite news |last1=Hardy |first1=Karen |title=Canberra Glassworks' new chairman with a vision for the future |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6029651/canberra-glassworks-new-chairman-with-a-vision-for-the-future/ |access-date=12 March 2023 |work=The Canberra Times |date=8 August 2017 |language=en-AU}}
In January 2022 Anderson's book Glass: The Life and Art of Klaus Moje was published. She had worked alongside Klaus Moje at the Australian National University during the 1980s and began the book with him prior to his death in 2016. Moje gave Anderson access to his personal archive.{{cite news |title=A life in glass |url=https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/a-life-in-glass-20211207-p59fmk |access-date=12 March 2023 |work=Australian Financial Review |date=10 December 2021 |language=en}} Anderson won grants from the German government and the ACT Arts Fund to assist with producing the book.{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Nola |title=How Klaus Moje changed Canberra's glass art |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/how-klaus-moje-changed-australias-glass-art-20151016-gkb68c.html |access-date=12 March 2023 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=16 October 2015 |language=en}}
References
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Category:21st-century Australian women public servants
Category:21st-century Australian public servants
Category:University of Sydney alumni
Category:Australian War Memorial
Category:Academic staff of the Australian National University
Category:20th-century Australian women writers
Category:21st-century Australian women writers
Category:Australian women art critics