The art of delicate penmanship

Press, 17 September 1976, Page 18

The art of delicate penmanship

Painstakingly drawn studies of organic and landscape forms, all entitled “Concept” or “Spasm.” make up an exhibition of just eight pictures by Rene E. Muller of Wellington at the Labyrinth Gallery in New Regent Street. Each is a remarkable example of delicate penmanship, which must have taken many hours at the drawing. board. The time involved is reflected in the prices — from $320 to $3200 each. Rene Muller was bom at Nelson 23 years ago. He studied under Theo Janson at Wellington, but says he is otherwise self-taught. He has exhibited in Wellington, Palmerston North and Nelson.

He aptly describes his drawings as “labour intensive,” and says they were executed in drawing ink with an 0.13 mm drafting pen on a special German paper. He intends to continue in this medium, “because of the way it can be twisted to explain the intensive life within the images,” despite that his work could be done more quickly in almost any other medium.

“So what?” he says. “The earth wasn’t created in one evening’s work.”

Mr Muller says the present exhibition is just a beginning, and has opened the door to more work in the same style. The drawings, he says, are “landscape snapshots” recorded as one would with a camera on holiday, but drawn with an element of personal involvement.

The exhibition will continue until Monday, September 20.