Pamela Lofts
Pamela Lofts (9 August 1949 – 4 July 2012), also known as Pam Lofts, was an Australian children's book illustrator and exhibiting artist based in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. She is best remembered as the illustrator of the Australian classic children's books, "Wombat Stew" by Marcia Vaughan and "Koala Lou" by Mem Fox. Although known for her book illustrations, she was also a photographer, painter, and sculptor. Biography. Lofts was one of two children born to Dorothy and Rory Lofts. Lofts first moved to Alice Springs in 1980. In response to a lack  of contemporary arts activity in Alice Springs, she and four other local artists, established an artists-run initiative called Watch This Space in 1993. Lofts became its first coordinator. During the 1980s, Lofts illustrated some of Australia's best known children's books, including Marcia Vaughan's "Wombat Stew" in 1985 which has been widely translated and inspired a series of children's road safety posters in New South Wales. It has also been voted the most popular book in the children's book awards' KOALA Hall of Fame with 13 nominations. She also worked closely with children's author  Mem Fox, illustrating "Koala Lou, Hunwick's Egg" and "Sail Away: The Ballad of Skip and Nell." Lofts was a successful exhibiting artist in the mediums of drawing, painting and performance who had 27 solo shows across Australia from 1992 to 2002 and was also represented in almost 70 group exhibitions including four Togart Contemporary Art Award exhibitions. She was also visiting artist at the Australian National University's National Institute for the Arts in 2002. Her work is held in the collection of Araluen Arts Centre. Lofts died 4 July 2012, following a two-year battle with Motor Neurone  Disease. Selected works. Artwork. Lofts' work is held in the following permanent collections: Her (created with Pip McManus) sculpture "Storyleaves" is displayed in the Public Art Precint, Alice Springs Airport. Legacy. Following her death Lofts made a bequest to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, which is funded by the royalties from her books, and this bequest has already resulted in The Yirara Mix Book. Watch This Space's annual Lofty Awards, which recognise an individual's contribution to the arts in Alice Springs, are named after her. Institutions that hold ephemera relating to Lofts include the State Library of Victoria, and  the Art Gallery of NSW.