“THE ELLIS ROWAN OF NEW ZEALAND”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 28 October 1925, Page 4

“THE ELLIS ROWAN OF NEW ZEALAND”

THE LATE MISS EMILY HARRIS

A QUEENSLANDER’S TRIBUTE

'1 he following extract is from a letter received by a resident of Mapua, from .Mr (leorge Randall, of Somersby Grange, Birkdnle, near Brisbane, the lather of the hit,, Richard John Randall, the greatest artist Queensland lias proilueed. whose paintings are preserved in tb ( , "Randall Art, Gallery." Brisbane, 'the extract refers to our talented artist, Miss Emily Harris, of whom our city iuts so recently been bereaved.

".V short tim e ago 1 received from > Oll u Nelson paper announcing the •.eath of your gentle, and almost- uni ecognisable painter. 1 remember with pleasure niy visit to her home, and seemg some oi her work. New Zealand utterly tailed her—failed to see the beauty u! many of her water colours of the country s flowers and shrubs and trees; and tailed to give her the encouragement she deserved. I gave her the came oi M lie lull is Rowan of New ZeaDwd, after the painter of Australian flowers and foliage, a frail little woman, who managed to push her way to the li'ont by the exercise- cl great- persever-f'-uee. Alter her death the t'ommonwealtli paid he. c-W-'cutors iSIOviDO for the eolleetioa she had laid behind. The Quensland Governmem, had paid iier 1000 guineas for a collection, and then nul them away in the .Museum! 1 can only hope your artist has left something by which she will be remembered/'