Born in Sweden, Edward Fristrom was the brother of Oscar (1856-1918) portrait painter and founder of the Queensland Art Society. Edward Fristrom was a naval cadet on a Swedish training ship who deserted while in Australian waters to join his brother in Brisbane. In 1896 he was on the council of the art society there and along with the more adventurous Australian painters he shared the neo-impressionist style. Although this style was practiced in New Zealand it never approached the same level of acceptance as it did in Australia however Fristrom was to retain the style throughout his lifetime. Arriving in Auckland in 1903, Fristrom exhibited with the Auckland Society of Arts (A.S.A) until 1909 when he went to Brisbane to visit his brother. Fristrom returned to New Zealand again in 1911 to teach at the Elam School of Art, resigning in 1915 over a pay dispute. In these latter years he exhibited with the Auckland Society of Arts and the Academy of Fine Arts. He visited his friend Marcus King in Wellington before departing for the USA where he died in Carmel, California. Fristrom is represented in all major New Zealand galleries, the Turnbull and Hocken Libraries and he is most known for his small impressionist oil paintings - portraits and landscapes.