“MAKING THINGS.”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8295, 5 December 1912, Page 1

“MAKING THINGS.”

TECHNICAL EXHIBITION SOME FINE WORK. There’s a joy in making things- The love of creation is the only aspect that adds pleasure to toil. It is the best way of achieving self-expression-—the only reliable method of spelling “happiness.” At tho Wellington Technical School hundreds of young Weliingtonians arc being encouraged to express themselves in various.ways and develop that talent appealing for growth. To-day, to-inor-row and Saturday, in morning, afternoon and evening, tho general jrublic may visit tho school and view and admire tho things the pupils have made and observe and appreciate the budding talent displayed on many sides. Tho annual exhibition of students’ work is “on.” It is better than in past years, and is certain ol appreciation. THE ART SECTION. Yesterday tho school was busy preparing. Through the rooms a “'Times reporter was taken and tho various strong points indicated. Tne art section is this year very good and contains some very promising worn. In the modelling room was Mr J. M. Ellis (Royal College of Art) evolving order and arranging display. In a few minutes’ talk ho outlined tho method of work and indicated some remarkably creditable productions. Tho aim is to develop commercial art and liigh art, both separately and jointly, to as groat a height as possible. Some of the students are youthful architects, some are engaged iu plastering and some in woodwork trades. All tho students are encouraged to produce individual designs—there is far more fun in pleasing yourself than in copying another chapl In this design work in the stilllife section native plants are largely used. This is a wise development and trenches on a hitherto unexploited field. Already some very good designs have been made from this basis—Miss M. Green is specialising somewhat in it and shows excellent results. In ono plaster panel she uses the native leaves, Maori tiki and the law! to fine advantage. Other good work is on view by Lois Trane (a neat design), Alf. Bowley, a fine keystone freely modelled, and Harry Coleman. In the figures modelled from life there is much of merit. Miss Ethel Gyles, a pupil and instructress, runs some sound work. A woman’s head from life took a prize at the recent Academy exhibition; a man’s figure from her hand was also in tho Academy and shows sound execution. A child’s head in the round by Francis Hughes is pretty. and Miss Florence Pritchard has a baby’s head (also in the round) of merit. An anatomical study from life by Alex. Bender will attract notice as showing in fine detail the construction of a head. A good piece of relief work is a copy by Miss Pritchard of one of Donatello’s angel figures. But the gem of the display stands to the credit of Mr K. Ballantyne with his copy of Hondin’s head of Voltaire. This is a really fine bit of work finished and mounted, and redounds alike to the credit of pupil and _ instructor- Apart from these main items in tho room there are exhibits showing the method of building up a head. This is done by the application of thin, small strips of material—always building, never cutting away. There is also some pretty wood carving -by the Misses Skill, Green, Beetham, Post and Hogg—all of whom show talent and executive ability. NATURE AND DESIGN.

In the section devoted to the day students’ work the same principle of going to nature is followed. The pupils are given very little of dry academic “high art” work; they are sent to nature, told to observe and develop themselves and their own designs. The object is not only to train the students in observation, drawing and execution, but to give them a fund of knowledge of forms and a systematised store of facts about nature. Into this section comes a good deal of stencil work, which is well carried out, and boldly conceived. The -whole room containing the work of this class is very interesting. The life classes under Mr Richardson, R.8.A., have produced some fine results. K- M. Bailantyne, whose head of Voltaire has already been mentioned has three outstandingly promising figures, and Mary Green has a good study of a head. Ij. Foster has a fine litchographic reproduction, and also a tood head, while a study of a tree by 1. Dawson took a prize at the Academy. Nelson Isaacs shows more than usual promise in several good pencil drawings. In an adjoining section is to be seen the work of the anatomy classes—the foundation of “life” work. There is much good detail work here, both of the whole figure and parts. SEATING AND EMBROIDERY. The sewing class amounts to some two hundred in a week, and some excellent quality of work may bo seen. In the day section a good deal of needlework is done as well as quite a. prolific amount of stencil designing for table covers, cushion covers, etc. Again here some very pretty effects are achieved by the uso of native leaves for the basis of the design. In this room Lillian Russell lias some prettily designed needlework into which shaded flowers are brought. E- Koyworth has a fine pencil drawing of an azalea. Into this room, also, come the knickknacks. The school has an enthusiastic worker in lines distinctively her own. This is Mrs Crawford. She works in gold and in stones. She makes a sundial or a gold pendant with equal facility. In the room are photographs of a sundial she made for Hawke’s Bay, and in n little case are some noticeably excellent pendants, links, etc., made by her. These are made from the sheet gold and adorned by well-mounted pearls mid opals. Nelson Isaacs also dabbles in jewellery work to some purpose. Another interesting thing is an example of loaded light work by AV. Nunn- Ho has two neat pieces on view. PRACTICAL PURSUITS. Turning from these expressions of artistic ability resort may ho had to those severely practical pursuits of plumbing, engineering and cabinct-

making. In each of these lines there are really excellent technical exhibitions of the work being done. Each workroom is laid out to some purpose as s showroom, and advertises in eloquent fashion the course of work undertaken by tho pupils. To those engaged in each trade a visit will be interesting. In the engineering section there are several petrol motors -being built by students, besides innumerable castings and tools produced by them. The cabinetmaking room is very interesting, containing as it does the visible record of the useful efforts of amateurs and budding professionals. Some beautiful little items of furniture have been made hero which will serve to adorn the homo of tho enthusiastic worker. The exhibition as a whole is attractive. It speaks of interesting pursuits. It speaks of gratified hobbies. It plainly shows that the modern technical school is not a cram-academy. It reveals that it is a place for tho cultivation of personal powers and the development of useful and recuperative hobbies. The technical school is, and will increasingly become, a centre for social growth "and mutual development.