In 1971, the Daylesford man gathered up his arts prize winnings, got a pilots licence, hired a plane - and began introducing modern art to communities in the outback.

His 'Flying Arts School' survives to this day.

Now he has been posthumously awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) medal for services to the visual arts.

"He was so clever. He was amazing," partner Prue Acton said.

"Back in 1991 he got himself an Apple computer and taught himself how to do moving graphics.

"He would just pick up any computer program and work it out."

Ms Acton spent three decades with Mr Moriarty - and said he had an incredible eye for colour and design.

"Artist Clifton Pugh had always talked about Merv and even as a child I always wanted to be an artist," she said.

"My parents steered me into fashion design.

"So later I started my own arts school and was looking for the best arts teacher.

"That was Merv."

"He was a brilliant educator and a brilliant artist."

Ms Acton said she was thrilled Mr Moriarty's contributions had been recognised.

"We meet people everywhere who owe their various creative interests to Merv's workshops and modern art education approach," she said.

"But in the end I think the thing Merv was most proud of was landing one day after suffering engine failure.

"He had amazing ability across so many disciplines - from being a finalist many times in the Archibald, Sullivan, Dobel and Blake prizes - to his technical abilities as pilot.

"Also his talents in sailing, fishing, mountain climbing and music, poetry, writing and communicating suggest he was a polymath.

"With empathy and humour, he had a great life."

Ms Acton said at one point he had 1000 outback students - with some driving days to attend workshops.

Mr Moriarty also created arts education curricula - and published 23 books including titles on colour combinations and colour theory.

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The pair shared a love of bright hues - and at various times worked as colourists in the interior design and paint industries.

"I'm privileged to carry on his colour workshops using his theory of colour relationship, modern colour wheel, colour matching and colour mixing tools for both digital and analogue applications," Ms Acton said.

"This is documented in his many publications."

Mr Moriarty was active as a painter from 1962 until his death in Daylesford in November 2021.- a month after the Flying Arts Alliance marked the 50th anniversary of his first adventure.

Under its new name, the organisation now focuses mainly on Queensland - and much of the flying has been replaced by online education and workshops for schools and councils.

Chief executive Paul Thompson said they were keen to keep the spirit of Mr Moriarty's idea alive - and had named a landscape award in his honour

"Merv was an extremely passionate and dedicated man," he said.

"He was a connector of people.

"Merv brought together many isolated artists and gave them the ability to link up with others.

"He was instrumental in starting a lot of arts groups.

"Without him, there would have been no opportunities for these people.

"It's sad he couldn't celebrate the award in person, but it's also great that his contribution is being remembered."

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