Lorna van der Lijn (nee McKellar, formerly Conway)

Lorna Campbell van der Lijn (nee McKellar, formerly Conway)

Born Glasgow, Scotland, 6 Dec 1931 – Passed away peacefully in Palmerston North, on April 12, 2025 – aged 93 years.

Lorna was a WRNS Royal Navy officer, professional hotelier, and pioneering hospitality educator, she developed and taught hotel management programs at CIT Petone, playing a transformative role in building New Zealand’s tourism and hospitality industry. A lifelong artist, who studied in Paris, her art reflected a deep appreciation of light, colour, and form – all of which she captured beautifully.

Lorna was a passionate defender of animals and a supporter of the SPCA and wildlife charities. She loved participating in and following sports, was a devoted rugby fan of Scotland and the All Blacks, and loved golf, tennis, yachting, and captained her school’s hockey team. Bagpipes and Scottish traditions always stirred her soul.

Loved deeply as a devoted mother to Fiona (d.1991) and Christopher (Canada), sister to Duncan and Sylvia McKellar (UK), wife of Johan (Joop) van der Lijn (d. 2013), and much cherished daughter of John and Nora McKellar (deceased).

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the wonderful team at Arvida Olive Tree for their loving care, and to Brenda, Lorna’s home aid and a loyal friend to her last moments.

Following private cremation, Lorna’s ashes will be scattered at a later date, her final farewell to a life lived with passion, grace and love, accompanied by the sound of a lone highland piper, among Aotearoa’s Southern Alps and lakes she loved so dearly. To honour Lorna’s lifelong love for animals, please consider a donation to the SPCA or a wildlife charity of your choice.

To read tributes to Lorna and/or to leave a tribute yourself please visit her Tribute Page.

The above notice first appeared in Beauchamp Funeral Home Website on 15/04/2025

Celebration of Life

A celebration of life for Lorna is planned for later this year (2025), which may include an exhibition of some of her art. It will be an informal gathering in Palmerston North, where friends can come together and share good memories about Lorna and her life.

If you would like to be on the contact list and receive information about this please sign-up in the form below. Your contact information will not be used for any other purpose.

Lorna's Art

October 2014 Exhibition | Square Edge Community Arts | Palmerston North, Aotearoa New Zealand

CELEBRATION OF A LIFE TIME OF ART
A retrospective exhibition by local artist Lorna van der Lijn

Seven years ago I celebrated my 75th birthday with a small exhibition. Now, I am 82 and since I have always kept most of my works I decided that the best thing to do was to have another exhibition. However, this time I want to celebrate my life time of painting and drawing. Despite life’s ups and downs, and having been diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease five years ago, I still have a zest for life, and energy, which surprises me at times! Born in Bonny Scotland, I moved to New Zealand in 1966 with my, then, husband and two children aged 3 and 7. A hectic career in the Hospitality industry prevented me from indulging in one of my most favourite past-times – art. Since retiring 18 years ago, I have had plenty of time to devote to it once more.

My lifetime of art began when I learnt to paint at school and our art teacher always sent in any worthwhile paintings to the Royal Drawing Society. There are examples of these works hanging in the exhibition. They were executed between 1945 and 1949.

In 1952 I went to Paris as an ‘au pair’ girl because I wanted to go to an art school – finally!!! I decided to concentrate on life drawing because I had always enjoyed drawing the human figure.

In 1954 I joined the W.R.N.S and although I had little or no time for drawing and painting, I certainly enjoyed my time in the W.R.N.S.
1958 arrived and I found myself getting married – Third Officer Lorna Campbell McKellar W.R.N.S married Lieutenant David Graham Conway RN.

We had two children, Christopher and Fiona. It was a terrible tragedy when Fiona’s life was cut short, at the age of 27 due to breast cancer.

I had divorced my husband in the intervening years, after we arrived in New Zealand in 1966.

Prior to 1966, in the UK, we had owned and operated a very successful boutique style hotel and restaurant, named “The Swordfish” after the aircraft which performed so many daring feats during WW2.

We arrived in New Zealand October 1966 and it was at Glenorchy where I found the inspiration to paint again. Lake Wakatipu could not be ignored. The magnificent, beautiful and inspiring surroundings, particularly Mount Earnlaw were so outstanding, I simply had to get back to painting.

Despite losing my daughter to cancer 34 years ago and my second late, husband developing MS 15 years ago, I still manage to see life for what it is – a rich canvas of colour, beauty and variety, which inspires one to take up the brush and attempt to produce one’s own interpretation of what is there.

Meeting George Lambert in 1999 resulted in another challenge, but a truly enjoyable one. Georgia helped me to ‘see’ and to translate what I see and felt on to canvas or paper. I learned more about insight and technique and although I still have a great deal to learn I like to keep the work going in the hope that I will keep improving. I am grateful to her for giving me so much help and enjoyment. Georgia’s statement “The coloured tapestry of life is a ‘canvas’ in progress to those who can ‘see’ is most apt.

Thank you for coming and I do hope you enjoy the show.
Lorna

St. Hilda's School 1945-49

Art was a passion from very early days, but it was only when I went to boarding school that I received instruction and dedicated time to spend on learning to use water colours It wasn’t that my art teacher was really good! ——— nor was I !! She had a habit of adding her painting as she went round the class !!

As a new girl of 13 years of age, the first term at school was pretty scary. There was a lot to learn besides formal lessons, however, the second term was easier. It was an excellent school in a fantastic setting and I ultimately became sports captain and head girl.

The school had a tradition of entering paintings and drawings for The Royal Drawing Society’s assessment each term and I am proud to have gained their certificates for several entries. Some of those entries are shown here. We chose our own subjects, which are much different from those of the present day.! I am however talking of the years 1945 – 1949. —-75 years ago at the end of WW2.

From Left To Right above (please click on painting for larger version):

TWO MODELS: Three quarter length, full skirts were the style after the restrictions imposed during WW2

THE LADY OF SHALLOT: Sits in front of her mirror admiring herself!

AT THE RACES: Just another subject done at school as were the others in this group.

THE SPANISH LADY: Flounced skirt were irresistible

ROMEO and JULIET

COPELAND ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE: This painting is of the Copeland Island Lighthouse which I saw on a few occasions while on holiday at Donaghadee, in the North of Ireland in 1948 I think! I was out there because I went out with the men who go lobster fishing at dawn. The lighthouse and the surrounding sea inspired my first ever sea painting. I love the sea, any body of water attracts me, the sea ,lochs and rivers.

Parisian Collection of Life Drawings 1952

Pencil on Paper (1952)

I spent about 14 months in Paris as an ‘au pair’ where I studied Life Drawing. I loved Paris and met lots of interesting people from all over the world. I have posted above a few examples of the life drawings I did there.

This is a photograph of me on my way to art school in Paris. It was taken bu a street photographer.

Awaiting Her Master's Return

Pencil on Paper (1956)

I did this drawing when I was stationed, as a WRNS* Officer, at HMS Daedalus which was the headquarters of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. The dog’s name is ‘Cindy’ and she belonged to one of the naval officers at the air station.

*WRNS – Women’s Royal Naval Service