A SINCERE ARTIST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 2 December 1922, Page 5

A SINCERE ARTIST

THE LATE MU FRED SEDGWICK

A NELSONIAN

j Keen regret will be felt amongst the artistic community in Wellington at (ho death of Mr Fred. Sedgwick, the well ‘known landscape painter, says The Dominion. Mr Sedgwick had retired from ‘the Government service a year or two iago mainly' for health reasons, hut his I health was not such as to cause any 'anxiety, and his death was entirely i:nlexpected. Only the day before he walkled from Silverstream to Belmont, and Iliad enjoyed the walk immensely. As jan artist ho was a conscientious exponent of the plain air method, and was a most indefatigable and painstaking worker, scorning all technical tricks and

‘’stunts” of every description, associating himself with no cliques, dallying imt in any artistic side-tracks, nor flirting with any passing phase of artistic fashion.* As a result there was always a sincerity and truthfulness in his work, which lifted it above the level of the pretty or merely" clever, wiiiist the leisure he was recently able to enjoy would no doubt have enabled him to have made still greater progress in his work. The staunchness and sincerity apparent in his work were also qualities which cemented the comradeship of those with whom he was associated, and ho was as true a friend as he was an artist.

Mr Sedgwick w'aa one of that devoted band of artists who in summer time haunt the picturesque precincts of Silverstream. He w r as out there on Sunday in company with Mr E. S. Killiuk. and n the morning w’alked up to the golf links, returning for lunch. In the afternoon he and Mr Killick walked as far down the road as the Belmont Station, and there took train for- town. During this outing he never complained of feeling off colour at all. Indeed he liked walking exercise, having born advised' to take it by his doctor. A little over 12 months ago, Mr Sedgwick was operated upon for appendicitis. On Monday afternoon he went up to Queen’s’ Park sketching, and nothing more is known of the fatality beyond that he was found dead near his easel.

The late Mr Sedgwick was born in Nelson and educated here, and is a bro-ther-in-law of Mr T. 11. Johnson, of Nelson. His mother was a Miss Boddington, of Spring Grove. His father .was the founder of the Nelson Tannery. He left Nelson at the age of 12. The Wellington Art Society are endeavouring to gather an exhibition of his work.