ARTISTS IN UNIFORM

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 217, 13 September 1944, Page 6

ARTISTS IN UNIFORM

EXHIBITION OF PAINTING

FINE DISPLAY OF CRAFTS

An exhibition of painting to show what the troops can do in art and also to encourage art among the men and women of the Services, will be opened by the Mayor, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, in the Art Gallery to-morrow afternoon. It has been organised by the Army Education Welfare Service and the artists, all men and women in uniform, are mostly amateurs with a few professionals.

The whole standard of the exhibition is of an extremely high level. The majority of the entries are the work of men in the Pacific area, but there are a few from the Middle East, mainly done by men who have returned to New Zealand. They are a splendid means of conveying the serviceman's life and the places where he serves.

A collection of Second Lieutenant Russell Clarke, of Christchurch, official war artist in the Pacific, compels attention. They might be said to be the best in the show and include water colours and charcoal drawings. By W. 0.2 Robin Kay (Palmerston North) are some attractive water colours of the Middle East. Two outstanding ones are "Sea of Gallilee" and "Mount of Olives." A dramatic version of J. A. Ward, V.C., putting out a fire on the wing of a plane, is shown by A.C.2 Roundhill.

Portraits by S./Sergeant W. A. Sutton and Hilary Clark are particularly fine, and painted on scrim is a large picture by S./Sergeant Sutton, "Camouflaging the Battery," which has an arresting sunlight effect. Another painting on scrim is shown by Sapper C. V. Wheeler. Two pictures portraying life among the W.A.A.C.'s are by Bessie Christie, "Gargle Parade" having a fine touch of humour.

Cartoons include the work of Sergeant A. S. Paterson, Gunner Henderson and Private G. Mclntrye. Auckland artists include L.A.C. Beckett and Cpl. F. S. Dromgoole. A special feature of the show is an exhibition of craft work done byservicemen on Vella Lavella. At a certain period of inactivity on that island, craft classes were organised and, without tools, simply with pocket knives, glass with which to scrape, and sandpaper, the men made a wonderful array of articles out of native woods, coconut shells and ivory nuts. Of special interest are two little boats made from coconut shell and a carving in mahogany of a man reading a book.