Ninette Dutton

Ninette Clarice Florence Dutton (née Trott) OAM (1923–2007), was an artist, broadcaster and author. She was the wife of author Geoffrey Dutton.

Early life

Ninette Dutton was born in Adelaide. Her father's family operated a well-established dental practice, and her mother was a matron. Her grandfather was the portrait and landscape painter, George Webb.

She was educated at Creveen Girls School, North Adelaide, and Woodlands before enrolling to study Social Science at the University of Adelaide.

In 1944 she married the writer Geoffrey Dutton. At the time, Ninette was a driver in the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force. They lived in Melbourne for a time, where their friends included Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan, Max Harris and others associated with the Angry Penguins group.

In 1946 Ninette and Geoffrey moved to Oxford, where Geoffrey studied English at Magdalen College. After Geoffrey finished his studies, the couple bought a Ford Pilot and drove to Australia via southern Europe, the Middle East and India. They eventually established themselves on a few hectares near Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills. With Geoffrey lecturing in English at the University of Adelaide, Ninette set up a studio and began firing painted designs on tiles.

During the 1950s she worked in the Botany Library at Oxford and studied at the Ruskin School of Art and the couple travelled extensively and adventurously through Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Then, in 1962, with two children, the family spent three months in Kansas. It was at Kansas State University that Ninette discovered enamelling on copper, which was to become her main creative activity for four decades. Her ensuing enamel works were widely collected, and she wrote Beautiful Art of Enamelling in 1966. Her works feature in collections across Australia, including the National Gallery of Victoria, the National Gallery of Australia, and the Orange Regional Gallery.

Following the death of Geoffrey's mother-in-law, Emily Dutton, they lived at Anlaby Station, the Duttons' family property near Kapunda.

In early 1968 she saved the life of Patrick White, a dear friend, by holding on to his arm when he fell into a blowhole on Kangaroo Island.

Later life

Over the 1970s, 80s and 90s she published books and delivered radio programmes on cooking, flowers, gardening and the seasons, and for some years she wrote a column titled 'The Passionate Gardener' in the Advertiser, Adelaide.

When Anlaby was sold in 1977, the couple built a house near Eden Valley, closer to Adelaide. Ninette had a purpose-built studio and began serving on various arts and heritage boards, including the Arts Grants Advisory Committee and as a Trustee of the Board of Carrick Hill.

Ninette was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1994.

Following her divorce from Geoffrey Dutton, she moved to Canberra in 1997, and to Leura five years later.

Family of Ninette Dutton

George Webb married Christina Elizabeth "Crissie" Lake ( – 19 January 1930), daughter of John and Jane Ann Lake and step-daughter of George Rolfe (ca. 1837 – 10 September 1919) on 4 October 1892.

Their children were:

• Clarice, married Leonard W. Trott DDS in April 1920, lived at "Deepdene", 23 Fitzroy Terrace, North Adelaide, then from 1936 "Carawatha", 3 Edwin Terrace, Gilberton, South Australia

• Ninette Clarice Florence Trott (24 July 1923 – 2007) married Geoffrey Dutton (2 August 1922 – 17 September 1998) on 31 July 1944. They had three children
  • Francis Dutton
  • Sam Dutton
  • Tisi Dutton
• Elizabeth "Helen" Trott (3 October 1926 – ) married Theodore "Bill" Bruce (1923–2002) on 1 October 1949. Bill, son of a prominent Adelaide auctioneer, was a champion athlete who competed in the 1948 (London) Olympic Games.
• Janet Myra Trott (3 October 1926 – ) married Geoffrey Richard Villiers (9 December 1924 – ) on 23 October 1948.

• George Rolfe Webb (ca. March 1893 – ) was a corporal in the Australian Army and served for a time in Rouen, France, returning to Australia in 1918. He married and farmed at "Bonnington", Boorcan, Victoria (between Terang and Camperdown).

• Mary Florence ( – ) married Dr. Peter D. Graeme Fox R.A.N.R. of Nedlands, Western Australia on 6 February 1946

Written Works

• Dutton, Ninette (1966), The beautiful art of enamelling : a text-book for beginners, Sun Books, ISBN 978-0-7251-0023-0
• Dutton, Ninette (1971), What's for breakfast?, Sun Books, ISBN 978-0-7251-0124-4
• Dutton, Ninette; Brissenden collection (1976), Portrait of a year, Thomas Nelson (Australia), ISBN 978-0-17-005089-0
• Dutton, Ninette (1982), An Australian wildflower diary, Rigby, ISBN 978-0-7270-1709-3
• Dutton, Ninette (1985), Wildflower journeys : with paintings, drawings and diaries, Macmillan, ISBN 978-0-333-40120-0
• Dutton, Ninette (1986), Presents from Your Garden, Nelson, ISBN 978-0-17-006765-2
• Ninette Dutton (1987), Probabilities short stories, North Ryde, N.S.W Angus & Robertson, ISBN 978-0-207-15375-4
• Dutton, Ninette (1988), An Australian gardener's notebook, Greenhouse, ISBN 978-0-86436-165-3
• Dutton, Ninette (1988), Gardening on a grand scale, Carrick Hill?, retrieved 17 November 2024
• Dutton, Ninette (1990), A passionate gardener : writes of nature, beauty and seasons, ABC Enterprises for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ISBN 978-0-7333-0047-9
• Dutton, Ninette (1995), Firing, Editions Tom Thompson, ISBN 978-1-875892-07-5
• Dutton, Ninette (2000), Home ([New ed.] ed.), Text Publishing, ISBN 978-1-876485-67-2
• Dutton, Ninette; Molonglo Press (2000), Which way the wind blew, Molonglo Press, ISBN 978-1-876827-06-9