ART EXHIBITION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 281, 27 November 1941, Page 5

ART EXHIBITION

STANDARD PRAISED

LANDSCAPES MOSTLY SHOWN

Interest in art seems to be stimulated rather than retarded by the fact of war, and the annual exhibition of the Auckland Society of Arts, which will be opened this evening by the president, Mr. R. O. Gross, while maintaining the high standard of previous work in regard to quality, "also shows no diminution in the number of entries. The practice adopted last year of permitting each member to exhibit at least one painting has been continued this year and has resulted in variety of style. Variety of subject is not so apparent, most of the exhibitors] confining themselves to still life and! particularly landscape, the number of portraits being comparatively few and studies in the nude practically nil.

Among the oil paintings is a very attractive example of stippling, a portrait of a young girl, by Lois White. The spirit of the open air is caught by Ida Eise in "Ocean Beach, Maunganui," and I. M. Copeland in "White Boat, Taupo." A striking contrast is provided by Andrew Reid, who exhibits three charming Scottish rural scenes in the old style, and very effective treatment of light and shade is provided by Bessie Christie in "Pine Trees, Mount Hobson." A number of delightful studies in still life are from the brushes of Dorothy Morton, Alace F. Whyte, Mrs. Robinson, John Tole and Charles Tole, who is also represented by "Fisherman's Cottage," which is full of suggestion. The sombre tones of "Kumara," by Dr. Campbell Duncan, is appropriate to the New Zealand backcountry scene with which it treats. A number of well-established favourites are included in the excellent collection of water colours. On the Road to Pukekohe," is an •ppealing representation of gum trees, by Gwyneth Richardson, who also reveals her sense of the decorative in a study of roses. Jean Robertson's landscape, "From One

Tree Hill" is arresting for its treat-j ment of warm sunshine in the foreground and dull sky in the background. The impression of distance! is vividly portrayed by Ella Spicerj in "From Bombay." Her daughter, Peggy Spicer, has entered "Mission House," a well-known scene from Mission Bay and "Devon Village," a typical English scene. Lillias Lane has also gone to the Old World fori her subjects in "St. Aubin Castle, Jersey," which is full of appeal, and "Martello Towers," a characteristic scene of the Channel Islands. Something of the charm of the interiors of the • Dutch masters permeates "The Round Room," by Hilda Wiseman.

The solitary problem picture of the exhibition is "Anaesthetic" by Arthur Hipwell. A venture into surrealism, the painting has the merit of giving an inkling as to the artist's meaning without the aid of the title.