Prints have obvious appeal

Press, 29 June 1981, Page 13

Prints have obvious appeal

Exhibitions at the C.S.A. Gallery, reviewed by David Brokenshire.

“Railway Series” — screen prints by Graeme Stradling until July 5. Last year Graeme Stradling travelled round New Zealand gathering ideas for this series of screen prints. Individually the prints have an obvious and immediate appeal. They are quite decorative but I wonder how long they would continue “working.” Perhaps the finest is “Mists at West Head.” The colour is exquisitely graded with the cloud right down on the peaks. They are reasonably priced at $6O to $B5 each. Watercolours by Mollie Atkins until June 30. This is a modest exhibition

of watercolours — charming studies of water, boats and boatpeopie. They are full of life, laughter, and love, all simply and quietly communicated.

Works on paper by David Cheer. Until July 5. Pencil, charcoal, and a little restrained colour are the simple means employed by David Cheer in this big exhibition. It is so big that it fills two complete galleries. Again how well the artist conveys his delight in his chosen medium.

He has superb control of tone and his subjects range from simple studies, through landscape to large imaginative and subjective works.

His series “The Narrative of Death” is worthy of serious concentrated study.