The Australia Council for the Arts today pays tribute to the remarkable life and prodigious work of famed Australian visual artist Pro Hart who passed away at his home in Broken Hill in the early hours of 28 March 2006.

Born in Broken Hill, NSW in 1928 Pro Hart was in his twenties before embracing his gift for painting seriously. Drawing inspiration from the mining town of Broken Hill he was discovered in Adelaide in 1962 by then gallery director Kym Bonython. From there his success as an internationally renowned artist began to flourish.

In 1976 he was awarded an MBE for services to art in Australia. In 1982 he received an honorary Life Membership of Society International Artistique for outstanding artistic achievement.  This is granted to one artist per continent.  In 1983 he received an Australian Citizen of the Year Award.

A much loved, generous and popular artist, whose bush paintings capture the quintessential spirit of the Australian outback,  his career spanned more than 40 years. In typical Pro Hart style, despite exhibitions in every state of Australia and in numerous countries around the world, he was probably prouder of being five times winner of the Broken Hill Art Prize.

The Australia Council for the Arts extends our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the Hart family and celebrates his remarkable life.