OTAGO ART SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 23890, 21 May 1941, Page 5

OTAGO ART SOCIETY

WINTER SKETCH EXHIBITION BRIGHT PICTURES CF LOCAL SCENES A visit to the annual Winter Sketch Exhibition of the Otago Art Society at its rooms in lower Dowling street is a pleasant relief from the tension of everyday affairs of the moment. Brightlycoloured pictures numbering 140, in oil and water colour, adorn the walls, and make a very attractive display. Most of the pictures follow orthodox lines, there being very little tendency towards modernistic style. It is a modest show, but all round a creditable standard of attainment has been reached, and its lines of quiet confidence are broken here and there by flashes of outstanding worth. Those who do not attend in a hypercritical mood will find a great deal that is worthy of attention. The display should be the more of local interest in that it is purely representative of the work of local artists, and in that its material matter is drawn mainly from the local field.

Landscape naturally predominates in such an exhibition. Mr W. Allen Bollard shows that he has as vigorous and colourful a brush as ever, his four attractive exhibits being painted with characteristic freedom. ‘ Where Stream and Ocean Meet ’ is a well-balanced composition that attracts the eye for its admiraible colour tones and atmosphere, and he has achieved similar happy results in ‘ Passing Showers, Lawyer’s Head,’ 1 Autumn Cascade, Water of Leith,’ and ‘ Autumn Evening Glow. Waihola.’ For their directness and freshness the pictures by Air R. T. Little are, as usual, a welcome addition to the gallery. He is represented on this occasion by a number of carefully painted pictures about Lake Manapouri, one of the coast at Brighton, and one of a gum tree. In 1 Old Boats, Aloeraki,’ is displayed his skill in draughtsmanship of the lines of boats. Pictures with atmosphere and clean colouring are offered by A. Dickison, whose painting is pleasing and attractive. 1 Looking Towards Cape Saunders ’ is an effective composition, and equally competent studies are ‘ Mountain Alists,’ 1 In the Leith Gorge,’ and ‘ Autumn, Jubilee Park.’ E. Syrett has never done better work than on this occasion, his bright, colourful exhibits, ‘ Silverstream,’ ‘ Cherry Tree Walk,’ and ‘ The Old Broadleaf ’ being carefully drawn and painted. Roy J. Dickison is fulfilling all the promise which he showed when he first exhibited several years ago as a very young artist. ‘ The Summit Road ’ is a very creditable achievement, full of atmosphere, with a fine sense of distance, and good cloud effects. ‘At Allen’s Beach, Otago Peninsula,’ is another attractive landscape by this painter, whose draughtsmanship is of a high order. He also demonstrates that ho has ability with the pencil as well as with the brush in a well-executed sketch, ‘ The AVhite Turban.’ There are good flesh tones in his' portrait in oil. ‘ Peggy.’

Several studies by Mabel Hill have the quality which one expects from this artist. Her skilled brush is seen at its best in ‘ Old Mill, Woodbridge,’ a delightful painting of an Old World scene. There is charming rendering of her subject in her ‘ Bowl of Roses, and in ‘ Up for Repairs ’ the boats are skilfully drawn. Competent and colourful landscapes come from the brush of F. J. Cook, whose ‘Seascape, St. Clair,’ is a first-class effort. His ‘ Bend in the Road, Frankton,’ and ‘ The Bridge. Whare Flat,’ are of sound composition and in fine perspective. Harry Lyndhurst’s ‘Autumn Strain, Blue and Gold, Hampden,’,is a well-toned picture with a pleasing general effect. "‘ At Pounawea ’ is another attractive exhibit by this artist. Hilda Pattillo’s ‘ Winter Roses ’ and ‘ Tree Marigolds ’ are stilllife studies, charmingly arranged and portrayed. She is also successful with the effect of ‘ By the Bathing Sheds, Warrington.’ Of very happy composition and nicely toned is Maisie B. Rae’s view of the Public Trust building from First Church grounds, the building being well drawn and the tree well {Maced. ‘ Down on the Farm ’ is a particularly pleasing exhibit of a country scenej happily conceived and executed. Particularly pleasing is the general effect of Miss Alice Lothian’s ‘ On the Waikouaiti River,’ a picture in which the trees, rocks, and water are skilfully toned. Very pleasing also is Tier ‘ Cottage at Karitane.’ a. bright picture well drawn and coloured, and with skilful use of light and shade. In flowers, too, Afiss Lothian achieves charming results. A feature of ‘On the River Leith ’ is the pleasing glow on the water. One of the. outstanding exhibits of the gallery is ‘ The Rocks, Lawyer’s Head,’ by H. P. Wrigley, a striking picture of a local scene. With its excellent drawing, fine tonal effects, and effective colour harmonies, it is altogether a picture of refinement. There is skilful drawing and clean colouring in L. F. Bade’s large decorative landscape, and three small landscapes by the same artist are well conceived and executed. Eana B. Jeans gives broad but telling effect to her pictures of the Gatlins district. ‘ A Wattle Tree at Berwick ’ is cleverly drawn and painted, and very skilled work is seen in the drawing and painting of a tree of unusual pattern in ‘ On the Hillside, Glenleith.’ Kathleen Salmond’s artistic sense is revealed in a number of attractive offerings. There is skilled draughtmanship and excellent colour tones in ‘Pump Court, Inner Temple.’ Her ‘ Forntree, Papntowai,’ is an outstanding exhibit, beautifully drawn and painted, and her flower studies are, as usual, delicately treated, with charming effect. Views of Hawea and Alouut Egmont show good work by AI. C. Al'Farlane, with a fine perspective in the mountain picture. Trees in the foreground and the distant mountains are well handled in a view of Lake Wakatipu. ‘Winter Sunset ’ is an effective landscape by H. V. Miller, the colouring of the hills being particularly good. ‘ The Old Alan, Lake Hayes ’ is another picture that holds the attention.

Two charming little pictures are exhibited by M. B. Holloway. There are striking cloud effects in ‘ Showery Weather, Westland,’ and a skilled sense, of perspective is revealed in ‘ A Bush Road, South Westland.’ F. R. Brown delights the eye with his charming little pictures of hayricks, agreeably toned. Full of atmosphere are the landscapes of Doris F. Wilson, her colouring being clean and her perspective good in ‘ Caroline Creek, Mount Potts’ and ‘The Bush in the Valley, Erewhon, Mount Somers.’ The lapping of waves on the sand—a difficult subject— is given effective treatment by J. Turkman in 1 The Ocean ’ and ‘ The Run.’ Delightful flower studies are again exhibited by Mrs Cox, whose ‘ Poppies ’ and ‘ Winter Roses ’ are charmingly conceived and portrayed. L. A. Currie has given effective treatment to ‘ Naseby Skating Rink,’ and .1. B. Hope has two brickt little pictures of lake scones. G,'-,W. Edwards has good drawing and colouring in the dark-toned

‘ Early Morning,’ and the same artist gives effective treatment to 1 Hydrangeas.’ Meritorious landscape work is offered by A. Cutten in her picture of Mount Stoker, with a fine sense of distance, and there is effective use of sunlight in ‘Gateway.’ Another successful landscape exhibitor is A. M. Darling, whose ‘ Blue Lake, St. Buthaus ’ attracts attention. Attrac-

tive flower studies are offered by Ngaire Loo and L. A. Currie. Roses are charmingly rendered by Mrs N. Thomson, the painting of the glass bowls also being skilfully done. Tlie use of the pencil as a medium is skilfully illustrated by G. Smeaton White in 1 By the Old Wharf.’ A tapestry exhibit revealing painstaking work is exhibited by Mrs A. Ibbotson,

the subjebt being ‘ Gateway to St.John’s Hospital, Canterbury, and 51. Russell also offers choice tapestry work. Examples of pottery are shown by 0. 0. Stephens, and Mrs G. Barclay exhibits interesting examples of silverware and jewellery. The exhibition will be open daily tili June 3.