COLOURFUL PAINTING

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 9, 11 July 1934, Page 19

COLOURFUL PAINTING

MR. CEDRIC SAVAGE'S ART

A JSfew Zealand "artist who has como very-much to the fore during the last few years, and whose work is favourably known and commented upon beyond the shores of his native land, is Mr. Cedric Savage. His work is well known to frequenters of galleries on both sides of the Taspian, hence his exhibition of oil paintings and water colours, at present being held in the lounge at Messrs. Eirkcaldie and Stains, will be regarded .as an event of some importance in the local world of art. There is something very straightforward, comprehensible, and simply attractive about Mr. Savage's painting. Landscapes are what ho chiefly dolights in, often with a pleasing introduction of figures, and a superlative excellence is achieved in his presentation of colour. . The lighting of the present exhibition unfortunately does not do full justice to the colouring inherent in every one of the pictures shown.

' Mr. Savage has found- many of his Kub.iecte in the- Fijian and' adjacent islands, but not all, and the studies made nearer home show that the artist is no slave' to any one type of picture. Island scenes and life provide him with keenly contrasting colouring: bx-illiant sunlight and tropical storm, palm-fringed beaches, coral sands, mountain scenes, and tropic skies are all cleverly treated, imagination, a strong sense for colour, and good draughtsmanship, being happily interrelated. In his New Zealand scenes Mr. Savage has deftly captured the local atmosphere, just as he ha 3 done in the Islands, some of his best work being, pictures painted in the neighbourhood of' Akaroa. : ■

Among the " thirty-five oil paintings exhibited special mention might be made of quite a number. Full of light and atmosphere is ".Wainui" (12), a glimpse of Akaroa, whilst "Mountain harvest" (8) is a. particularly bold conception. The cloud painting In the latter and'in "Summer" (4) is particularly effective. "Early Snow." (19) is another living piece of work. Each of a pair of small oils, strayed among the water colours, captures the atmospheric effects in'the tropics in a.most admirable way. The water colours number about a'dozen, and almost all are radiant with colour. "A Mountain Playground" (43) is a remarkably pleasing composition, and is 'probably the best in■• this section. "Sprint" (36) and "Low Tide" (45) are two other water 'colours'* -which fairly flow with colour. '/'Drowsy" (46), a mare with her foal under trees, is a small but eminently'pleasing little piece of work. . ■ ,: . ' ■ ■

The exhibition remains open until the 21st, and should be visited by all who are interested' in what New Zealand artists can accomplish. They will see work which, although by no means ultra-modem, is a distinct"step forward when compared with much that passes for. art in these days. - • • . ■ .