THE SOCIETY OF ARTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 10867, 4 June 1918, Page 6

THE SOCIETY OF ARTS.

ANNUAL EXHIBITION.

NOTICEABLE PICTURES

| Noticeable among this year's exhibits at I the Society of Art? exhibition is the ' number of small pictures, many of them ■ sketches of varying quality. On ie : whole, however, the merit of the smaller | paintings is above that of the large. ; There is :i teiideniv in some of the ; larger exhibits to leave large spaces of j canvas filled with blo< k colour, providing : thus an uninteresting background. "in a ; few of these, too, there is a la< k of j technique; the art of modelling is | neglected, with the result, that the sub- ! jects do not stand c.• 1 1 round from the ] ■ canvas, and the impression given is that i of flatness. | In landscape there is a growing ten- : dencv to use dull colouring. One wonders I at this in a climate of soft rich hues and ' i E'-ft hazy distances. Our intensity of light I ; makes it difficult to grade from one strong i ! tone to an-ither, hut we are not truth! i if we represent New Zealand, and the : North particularly, in drab notes. i ' Among the Landscapes. : F. Sedgwick has a number of exhibts, including "A Peaceful Scene (41, 'Along : the Waterfront " (105), " Autumn '' (180). : The largest and perhaps the best is " The : Ford " (144) ; its values need a certain i sharpening. D. J. Payne shows an ; earnest coastal study of wave and cliff. 1 "At the Foot ot Thy Cliffs. 0 Sea''' (139). There are several exhibits of D. J. Tyson, mostly of small size. "An Old Manor, Kent" (142), is attractive, with good river reflections. Frank BrookeSmith sends " The K°tuarv from Kew " (133), "Evening at Ototara" (165). and others. His are mostly medium canvases, 1 with careful work. C. Blomfield :s well known to his public He delights in bu.sh studies. One notes " Nikau and Ptiriri " (105) "The Five Brothers, Young Kauris. Coro.nandel " (163), "Morning Mists" (164), "The Old Bush Road (181) as typical of his style. Another artist popular in the Dominion is I Douglas Perrett. He ;s a consistent worker | making his best effort with sun lighted ; mountain and lake water. The visitor may like best his " Sunrise. Queenstdwn " (177). Others of his are " The Dark ; \ alley " (170). " A Mountain Creek " (1021. j " Diamond Lake " (124). I A tendency to flatness is evident in Cecil ; Kelly 3 work. This a.'tist has abundant j exhibits. 'The Estuary" (116) is a fair I sample, hut why such drab tones 1 E. j Killick is an industrious worker, though I one looks for higher quality in her future i exhibits. " The Hutt River, Silverstream" 1 (120) is a characteristic study. Variety of ! treav.nent is rather lacking in this. George ! Sheriff's landscape exhibits are " Carbis Ives" (129), " Egmont After j Rain 1148). M. Buchanan is represented by " Before Pohuto Plays, Whaka." (20). Katherine Rayner sends several small and effective sketches. " Mount Ede>n Road " (97) is typical. Miss C. Stevenson brings h°r Continental training to bear upon Auckland scenes She appears not vet to have assimilated our native colouring. Her pictures, while giving evidence of good brush work and sound technique, are not pleasing, bv reason of their monotony of tint. " Sketches at Onehunga" (70). and " Takapuna " (71), Deep Creek" (109), will illustrate this tendency, P. L. Drummond exhibits familiar work in " The Fisherman's Hut " (3/) and other canvases. He prefers cold blues and greys. Alice Snelling has a number of careful studies.

Among the Water-colours.

J. S Cockerton, that indefatigable humorrist, sands three amusing and vmd.v-coloured pictures. One is " Captami Cook Presenting the Jollies' Mascot to the Maoris (374), another is "TrisI am Shandy's Man with the Nose," while I the third is " Poly-rates Discovering a R.ng in a ,. F,Fh (383). His work is a I '- lc;ed relief trom the usual tvpe of ex- ! hibitioa picture. Ira MeEldownev is a new name among our exhibitors. There is distinct premise in "A Quiet Hour" (2"9) the composition of this study being distinct and the brilliant hues of the checked shawl well caught. D. K. Richmond's work is known of old. She uses water-colour very charmingly. Gunner Johnson has several interesting sketches, made at the f £°" t- .. *1-1 Ruined Chapel of Neuva tg.ise <203), is among them. E. W. rayton has a number of small pictures painted in his usual felicity. " Where Once a Garden Smiled" (221), and several Hot Lakes sketches are indicative of his ability. Eva G. Lucas. Ella Spice, F F Richardson, K. F. Sneliing. G. Bail. e' M Munday, are among the artists represented well in this section. A. F. Nico'.l has many good pictures, the subjects being mostly from abroad. Miss C. Packer's A lolets ,( 41 8), is very softly coloured, 1?. rights numerous pictures are here and are all very delightful in treatment.' At Whangaroa ' (243) is bold, and " Kare ; Rare Bay' (255), has all his usual vigour ; and fine truthful colouring. F. Murray | Fuller is another exhibitor; and M. DuI portal shows interesting Brittany' and I Normandy sketches. Herdman Smith has i Winter in the Otira" (386). and similar | sketches. Alice E. Westwood's is a

i familiar signature, -under truthful work, I Ethel Jones, Cecily Callanan, Eleanor Gun- | son. M. E. R. Tripe, and Ivy Pern* show , promising exhibit?. Indeed one may safelv commend the greater part of the water colours. A quiet-toned sketch of C H Howorth's "The Hr> a thcotc River" (242)' produces a most pleasing effect. Miss Meyl rick s " Desert Stuu.es" are always liked

Photographic Work. Exceeding- good work is shown here bv F. (r. Ra < d :, l:ffe and C. .T. El: 'rbfck. The latter s " torgotten" (4351. is especially good This section is not strongly supported. Two plaster casts are sho'wn by Misses Dobie and Dawson respectivelyand a dainty paint.ng on glass is by Mrs' Cochran. " ' " "