Double Act: Eirene Mort & Nora Kate Weston

By Dr Sylvia Martin

The incredible 60-year creative partnership between Eirene Mort and Nora Kate Weston is explored in intricate detail in a moving new biography from NLA Publishing.

Eirene Mort (1879-1977) and Nora Kate Weston (1880-1965) lived unconventional lives, pursuing careers in the arts in the early part of the 20th century – dynamic ‘New Women’ challenging the gender conventions and societal norms of the time. To their families they were known simply as ‘The Aunts’.

Following study in London, Eirene Mort returned to Australia in 1903 and later set up a studio with Nora Kate Weston which became one of Sydney’s earliest centres for professional design and applied art. Influenced by William Morris, the pair translated the English Arts and Crafts movement into the Australian context and Mort became a founder of the Society of Arts and Crafts of New South Wales. She was a vice-president until 1935.

While Eirene is the better-known artist today, with her designs and etchings held in Australia’s leading collecting institutions, she always regarded her work with Nora as collaborative. Their intertwined lives and deep enduring relationship is explored through a queer lens, bringing Nora out of the shadows to take an equal place. 

This story will deeply appeal to readers with an interest in art, design, social history and queer history. The book draws on the extensive papers, artworks, photographs and more in the National Library’s collections to paint a rich portrait of the shared lives of these important and influential women. 

Double Act will be released on 1 March 2026.
 

About the author

Dr Sylvia Martin is a former actor and author of three biographies of Australian women and a book of memoir essays. She holds a PhD in Women’s studies from Griffith University’s School of Historical and Cultural Studies. Her works have been shortlisted for the ISAA Book Prize, the NSW Premier’s Literature Award and the Kibble Award. She was the recipient of the Magarey Medal for Biography in 2008. 

Dr Martin writes about the private lives of often under-recognised, immensely talented women, who may by modern standards be considered queer.

Media enquiries

Dr Sylvia Martin is available for interview. Please contact us to enquire.

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Lauren Conron, Media Liaison, National Library of Australia

Phone: 0401 226 697

Email: media@nla.gov.au