A WEIRD GIFT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 9 April 1930, Page 8

A WEIRD GIFT

MYSTIC FORCE MOVES ARTIST'S HAND

UNIQUE DESIGNS MADE A WELLINGTONIAN'S POWERS What strange mystic force guides the hand of Mr \V. 11. Atkinson, formerly of Wellington and now recognised as one. of the finest designers in London? asks the Auckland "Sun". lie cannot explain it himself: nor can the spiritualists or doctors he has consulted.

His strange, unnatural ability has puzzled everyone and yet. guided by somo curious, unexplained force he is producing unique and beautiful designs which are eagerly sought by such reputable English firms as Liberty's, tho British Cclanese Company, and the Imperial Tobacco Company. Mr Atkinson's story is an amazing one. During a visit to Auckland some time ago he consulted Mr A. J. C. Fisher, director of tho Elam SchooLof Art. Mr Fisher was at first sceptical, but later was persuaded that Mr Atkinson was producing some remarkable work. Ho advised liim to go to London and sell" his designs in the commercial world there.

Recently Mr Fisher received a letter from Mr Atkinson, telling of his adventures sinco ho reached London and of the demand for tho beautiful designs ho produces when his subconscious mind guides the pencil over the paper. Here is a paragraph from the letter :

EXPLANATIONS UNCONVINCING

"I have met a number of spiritualists but their explanations are. as yet, not convincing to me. All 1 knbw is that I am producing something of which 1 know almost nothing, and, I am doing my best to put to good use designs which authorities tell me are unique and beautiful. I accept with thankfulness such beauty." Is it spiritualism? Is it reincarnation ? The designs, Mr Fisher says, belong to early Roman, Greek, and Persian periods. They consisted, before Mr Atkinson left "New Zealand, of Roman armour, Persian lamps, war vessels, temples, jewels, sword hilts, heads of goddesses, etc. The artist did not know himself what he had drawn. Mr Atkinson knows nothing of art; ho was a commercial traveller in Wellington and made frequent visits to Auckland. He Was not even interested in art. There was no ulterior motive, as he was comparatively prosperous as a commercial traveller. His only reason in going to Mr Fisher was to try to get some explanation of his strange and unnatural gift.

CONSULTED DOCTORS Doctors he had consulted told him that his nerves were out of order and that he should take a rest. "I am perfectly fit'and healthy," he told Mr lusher, who said that Mr Atkinson looked the picture of health, and was over six feet in height.

PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYER

Little is known of Mr Atkinson, who is about 46 years of age. no was born at Sheffield, 'England, and in his younger days he was a professional soccer player. Apparently he has always been a keen sportsman," and had lived in New Zealand for several years. "The first I knew of him was when

ho camo lo me with some of his drawings," said Mr Fisher to the "Sun." "llu told me that .some involuntary urgo forced him to draw them. Ho had been to a doctor who told him that Ids nerves were out of order, and to a psychologist who (old him that they were the meandoringß of the mind. "Mr Atkinson was not a spiritualist; ho told mo that, he hated it; that he was an open-air mail and that ho had never taken any interest in art. I looked at the designs'; they were curiously beautiful."

Mr Fisher said that ho was sceptical after Mr Atkinson had explained how the designs had been done and asked him if he could do some more then and there. "Yes," ho answered, "hut I may have to sit hero for a while." Mr Atkinson was then given a pencil and some drawing paper. Ho gripped the pencil hard. Then, as ho looked about the room, his hand started to guide the .pencil over the paper, gradually producing the lovely design of an old Roman sword hilt. "It was extraordinary,'' remarked .Mr Fisher. "He made no attempt to guide the pencil; it just went across the paper—back over the lines without a blemish, filling in the shaded parts rapidly until the whole design was finished. Sometimes the hand moved with incredible swiftness. After the designs were finished ho wrote various words in ornate letters. On one occasion he'made one design which we could not understand. I told him to turn over on to another shoot of paper. He did so and made another design. Then at the bottom he wrote in ornate letters, 'Put together.' We did so and the whole formed a design for the prow cf a Roman galley." Still Mr Fisher was not satisfied and he took Mr Atkinson to see other men in Auckland. Exactly the same thing happened, until they wore all convinced that Mr Atkinson was possessed of some extraordinary gift which could not bo explained. The muscular action was intense, said Mr Fisher, and often after finishing some designs Mr Fisher had to place his hand in cold water to relieve the strain and the tension! This is trorno out by the fact that when making some of the designs the pencil had almost eaten through the rough drawing paper. Mr Atkinson did not wish to sell his drawings; nor did he ask anyone to do anything for him. He merely wished to discover why he had developed an amazing gift which no one could explain to him. Acting on Mr Fisher's advice to take his designs to London, Mr Atkinson left New Zealand. His letter from England tolls what happened there : "The first firm I called on was Liberty's, whose artist designer said I had some very exclusive designs and a type of design he had never seen, although he had heen designing for fabrics for 30 years. He introduced me to six of his artists, who were astounded at the manner in which I produced designs for their special benefit. The firm bought three of my designs—one to be produced in silver, one in precious enamels, and one in fabric.

"I was then.given a letter of introduction to Mr Geoffrey Holme, editor of 'The Studio,' who 'is giving mo a 600-word article in that magazine. Mr Holnio sent me to Professor Reco Capey, professor of design at the Royal College of Art.

"QUITE BEYOND THEM" "He said I was quite beyond them and that they could not teach me anything in the way of designing. He ■suggested that I .went, with a.letter of introduction from him, to the Passmore Edwards Arts and Crafts School for some instruction in applying my designs to fabric. This I did, and I am now a student at the school. "I am getting all sorts of designs

now—ironwork, pottery, leatherwork, advertising-'and books. If I let the subconscious mind have full phvy. I get exceedingly elaborate designs. . . . I have been unable to; get tho why and the wherefore of my subconscious efforts. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle tolls mo I have an old artist working with my hand. Artists is a. reincarnation of myself .working inwme, or that it is simply: heredity, . . •■ ! ,| nr^ e of my dosigns have been hung at the D'Alvise Studio exhibition at bouth Kensington."