200 samples of the year’s work

Press, 4 December 1981, Page 7

200 samples of the year’s work

“The Town and CountryArt Group provides us with excellent opportunities,” says the club’s president, Mrs Gwen Goodwin. “It brings the town to the country, and the country to the town. “This gives us the chance to travel to places where, otherwise, we might not get to go. “Town and country people may have different ways of life but our opportunities to travel overcome these barriers. “We are always greeted with guaranteed hospitality. Our little groups mix together, and don’t stay in their own little cliques. “This an exercise in friendship — the most important thing being communication,” Mrs Goodwin said while announcing this year’s Christmas exhibition at the Building Centre. The show, which is being held at the centre for the eighth time by invitation, was officially opened last evening by the new director of the Arts Centre, Mr R. Sleeman, at a private viewing. Paintings by artists from the city and country areas will be on show from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, 9 a.m. to noon tomorrow, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. next week. A wide variety of work will be exhibited, much of it done during working sessions by the organisation's 15 member groups, from Akaroa in the east to Darfield in the west, and Ashburton in the south to Cheviot in the north. Each member of the organisation, which is restricted to 150, has been in-

vited to exhibit two works, and the number of paintings at the Building Centre is expected to close to 200. An enthusiastic organisation. the Town and Country group, which,held its twentieth annual meeting last month, meets once a month for a “painting day.” With one of the 15 groups acting as host and providing both refreshments and a still life and a model for their work, these painting days attract about 50 members.’ This year's country weekend was' held at Pudding Hill in March, and next year’s is planned for Hanmer on March 26. Last July's town week-end in .Christchurch featured demonstrations byMichael Eaton on oils and Geoff Simpson on watercolour. The product of the outings is as varied as can be imagined. Some members prefer to work in charcoal, others with oils, watercolours or acrylics. According to Mrs Goodwin, many of the members enjoy portrait work. However, she emphasises that another important aspect of the group was "an exercise in friendship." This factor is also stressed by the group’s secretary, Mrs Margaret Bruce, wno says that this exhibition gets everyone together after a year’s work. “There is a feeling of affinity which also gets the public involved by sharing our work with them. “We are entirely self supporting. without any outside help. We are not here to make money, just to stay out of the red,” Mrs Bruce added. The popularity of the organisation can be judged by the number of people wishing to become members and its history.

“We are always pleased to welcome young artists as members, although we have a long waiting list,” Mrs Goodwin said. “This waiting list has become longer due to our successful showing at the B.N.Z. Country Craft Exhibition at this year’s Canterbury A. and P. Show. “Another outcome of our A. and P. showing is that we were approached by Murray Cooke, of the Four Seasons coffee lounge, at 216 High Street, and now have a permanent exhibition in the upstairs lounge’s gallery.” The Town and Country Art Group was founded by Frank Gross, an adult education

teacher who travelled throughout Canterbury. It was his idea to form a group which would bring the town and the country together in a .spirit of friendship. The group’s patron is George Genet. As in past years, the group features a guest artist at this exhibition. This year, she is Margaret Rhodes, of Waipara, who will display six of her works.