The following excerpt is quoted from Hilder, B., The Heritage of J.J. Hilder, Ure Smith, Sydney, 1966, p.13:

The most important series of early paintings are in an album of sketches which the artist gave to Miss Lorna Deighton in 1907. They date from 1903, a year before Hilder was transferred from Bega to Sydney, and started painting in earnest. Miss Deighton has since most generously given the book to my brother Bim, as she wished to return it to the artist’s family. This was the actual book which Hilder showed to Ashton when he wanted to join his classes. Ashton was so impressed with the charm and originality of the drawings that he told his pupils that a new genius has appeared. One example of this early work is shown at Plate XXII, with the title “Sydney Harbour from Fort Macquirie”. It shows the essential Hilder style before he met any artist in Sydney. By 1907 he was invited to join the Society of Artists and his public career as an artist began with an exhibition that year. His panel of 21 watercolours was given pride of place and they were sold by the time the show finished.

The following excerpt is quoted from ‘Recollections of Hilder’ by Harry Julius, in Ure Smith, S. (ed.), The Art of J.J. Hilder, Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1918, p.29:

Sydney Ure Smith and I were members if Julian Ashton’s classes in 1906 when Hilder joined. He was shy and reserved so it was a good while before we got to know him, as he drew in charcoal from the plaster cast, we had no inkling of his quality as a colourist for some time. When we did see one of his brilliant landscapes, we were so enthusiastic and so anxious to see more of his work, that he asked the two of us to visit him at his lodgings at Bellevue Hill and look through all his sketches.

The first evening at Hilder’s was a rare one for us. He pulled a box from under the table in his bedroom, and took out a number of small watercolours. We hailed each of them with delight as he stood them up on the table, for the brilliance and promise of his work surprised us. Hilder enjoyed our appreciation of his paintings but when he came across one that did not satisfy him, our groans did not save it from destruction. Each of us took away a sketch he chose from what was left in the bundle.