…. Although (Richard Cornish’s book) The Woman Lilith sets out to find the one mythical answer to the question -Who is Lilith- What is Art-What is life, the book is full of many small triumphs of discovery. And small though they may be, the book’s belief in them leaves you with a feeling that the question is being answered constantly’Adams First Wife’ Richard Cornish ‘The Woman Lilith’ Reviewed by Mark Macleod, SMH, 1975.
‘It’s a terrific title ‘The Woman Lilith’, the first wife of Adam, rebellious, beautiful, damned, a vampire, a demon, challenge to God himself…. The novel attempts to understand this woman -and attempts to define, confine her only to reveal at every turn the impossibility of doing so. She is always changing…there is an appealing aestheticism in this writing, even in the use of colour description. The novel has a sirenic ring, this fine novel opens on a cerulean blue morning…and although there is plenty of startling poetry in Cornish’s prose, you can feel him controlling it gently. You come away from the book haunted by its visual imagery…Adams First Wife’ Richard Cornish ‘The Woman Lilith’.
‘I was rather apprehensive about meeting Richard Cornish, the well- known artist turned novelist whose book ‘The Woman Lilith’ was published last week… My first impression was of subdued elegance…. As I left my last glance was of Richard Cornish, self possessed, the enfant terrible of Australian letters, lost in thought…Profile of Author ‘ ‘Man of Letters ’ Womans Weekly, 1975.
‘Richard’s art seems to capture the rhythm and energy of life itself through his work...’
Anne Von Bertough, Gallery Owner and Director.1974.
'Richard Cornish is an artist who paints with his nut...'Noel Counihan
'He has a deep feeling for the energies and rythmn of nature...'Llyd Rees.
'Both he and Ellen (Visser) came to see me. She is the stronger personality and he is the more intelligent artist... 'Bill Dobell.
‘An impressive performance - full of new insights into the nature of artistic personalities of that time and deeply moving in the poetry of its style!’ Professor Fredrick Hartt of the US as a .World Renaissance specialist. In a written comment on Cornish’s dissertation 1984, Flinders Uni, SA archives.
I have written ‘an impressive’ thesis according to US Professor Fredrick Hartt1 on the crisis of Italian Mannerist Art during the period of the Cinquecento. I was in communication and correspondence with Sir Anthony Blunt2 and Arnold Hauser. ‘I find his thesis on Art and Estrangement during the Italian Cinquecento-to be far too political and ideological for me to consider evaluating!” Sir Anthony Blunt, Courtauld Institute, London
'…Hmm, we might have a a great talent on our hands’. Statement about the writing of Richard Cornish by Geoffrey Dutton to Roland Robinson (poet and writer) and Lee White publisher of Australian Literature. Sun Books Meeting, Sydney, Oct, 1974.
His biography appears in many libraries around the world. From the prestigious World Encyclopaedia of Art Allemeines Kunstlerlexikon Leipzig, to Who’s Who in Australian Art and the Australian Encyclopaedia of Art vol 1, 2nd ed, 1982, Directory of Australian Authors, National Book Council1982, A Concise Dictionary of Australian Artists, Comp Gwenda Robb, Elaine Smith ed. Robert Smith, Melbourne UP, 1993, Who’s Who of Australian Writers 1st ed. Thorpe Publishers, Victoria, 2nd ed.1995. WhoÂ’s Who in Australia and the Pacific, IBC Cambridge 1997-98.
