“ON THE LINE”

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9173, 13 October 1915, Page 10

“ON THE LINE”

ART GALLERY EXHIBITS NOTES AND CEITICISMS. . (By "Dry-Point.”) No. 111. ' -C. F. Kelly.—His large landscape, "A Canterbury Pastoral,’ is a harmonious composition with good outdoor feeling. The colour is more pleasing and delicate than is sometimes seen in this artists work, which is on the whole better than last year. "The Landing Stage” (205) is painted feelingly with a charm of silvery opalescenue in its colour, the harmonies and quality of which arc most excellent. , The water haa a slight feeling of dropping away—possibly » little too much water has been included in the composition, thus tending to distract the attention from the wonderful tonality of the picture as a whole. ‘'Brighton Beach” (182) glows with light and conveys a feeling of space and atmosphere. No. 222 is also a good piece of work, hough with a slight feeling of unfinish in tho foreground. ■- The head, The Toiler” has a lifelike touch, and No.* ■» a striking little water colour. Mrs nelly's - :work, on the: other hand, is rather disappointing this year. Her work is always gracious and refined, bu. The Poem” (237 J is somewhat of a pale -host of a picture, somewhat monochro- . abo and requiring more colour. Mr O. N. Howarth’s work is also dis- , appointing. : He is an' artist possessing, within certain: limits, great . technical ability. His knowledge of aerial perspective, for instance, and his handling of distances' is especially good. He seems content, however, to paint year aftei .ear according to the same formula Artists such as Mr Howarth in the oils, and Mr. Worsley, in the water-colours have a great" influence' on beginners. Most of our young local artists haye been influenced by them, and can v*member the time when they studied cheir works closely, envied them their sales, and endeavoured to imitate them. It behoves such artists therefore to act up to a still higher ideal and set a good standard for the younger men to follow. ' ,

(Mr Wallwork’s large picture, "The Blotters" (15b;, is in subject suggestiv. of Brangwyn. ■ It is an ambitious attempt,- and if be has not entirely succeeded in it Mr Wallwort must at least be congratulated on his sincere endear votir to accomplish something worth trying for, rather than to: follow tht example of many capable artists who are content to produce studio “potboilers" of; places tnat they have noi ..sited* for many • years. - 'Sketches- oi English scenery by artists’ who have resided in New. Zealand tor many years are . far. too common, and ■we are glau to see Mr Wallwork has not got into -uis bod nabit, ."Among the Rocks, Kaikoura" (147) as a bright and spirited seascape, in which tile artist has caughi -.mit feeung oil ight which comes ou the water. It is.pregnant with vitality, and conveys the feeling of the.power and movement of the sea. No. 234 has to bo looked for in a corner, but is worth finding. , The spirit'of the title, “A Wet Evening, Akaroa," is' well caught. ■ Since .Mr Gore has: been president of tho Academy he has not let ‘us have my big. canvases. It.is ,a pity if his duties as president have’ not left him enough time for painting. He possesses a keen - eye ; for pictorial' compositions in landscape, and it is a pity that an artist - with . such undeniable artistic feeling should .not give. more vent to it. ’ He! seems to suiter from an oversensitive. refinement that, makes him paint: hesitatingly, and without the courage to turn uis excellent little compositions into hold and telling pictures. Mr .Gore, paints on a (well-established convention. Bis sketches are all excellent in composition, -.especially No. 195, and, he possesses a ..fine sense of projection and perspective. There is refinement of handling in his picture "Uu' the Golf Links” ! (228), but. we should have liked to have seen more vigour, in the -handling and the colour. Mr, Gore, however H evidently aims at pictures of quiet, greys, suitable for the decoration of (rooms rather than for asserting themselves in .galleries, and he appears content to abstain from the moro difficult problems, such as; the handling of sunlight' or figure subjects. He :■ is, of - course, entitled to pursue his chosen-path, but he, has the ability to attempt something more ( ambitiousMiss Turner’s, picture, (‘The, Puritan" (170), is ‘well and broadly handled, and conveys tho impression of living flesh, and "Ah Algerian Woman" (Ml) is a meritorious work. Wo look forward to seeing more of her work at! future ex-, hibitions-

Mr Proctor’s work shows rich colour, feeling of sunlight, ’ pleasing arrangement and drawing. Mr Menzies Gibbs paints harmonious and delicate little pictures,, but we should-like to see him vent, his artistry ,in a. bolder manner on a large canvas. In "Fisherman’s Wharf, Kaikoura" (No.: 215), his largest picture he is seen at his best. The subject is well painted, somewhat on the style pursued by W. R. Allen, the well-known Scottish artist. The sky is rather oversweetened, a tendency which Mr Gibbs should strive!to overcome. It must be remembered, however, that pictures aye decorations, the majority of i, which are destined -to hang on the walls of small rooms, and it is at any rate- more profitable to *err on the side of sweetness, so long as mere preitiness is, not .striven I after; than to err on: the’ side of . crudity, hardness, or coldness. , The mm; however, who strives for truth rather. than sweetness will eventually achieve more, notwithstanding- unpleasantness in his early efforts- . Mr W. E. Johnson, an: Auckland ar-. list, has a small nude study vigorously and firmly .painted and -well modelled. No, 243,- portraying sunlit reflections on J Auckland Harbour, is a bold and vigorous sketch. , . -

Mr McCracken’s "Paisley Shawl” (216) is well handled and it a graceful and feeling picture, but it does not appear at its best, hung as it is between two large picture*. "The Window” (169)r is a charming • little r effort in quietgreys. Mr , McCracken ; has recently joined the Academy, and it is hoped that he will be. a regular exhibitor.In the black and white, section : there are quite a number of etchings, owing greatly to . the ■ enthusiasm, of Hr J. MacDonald,' who has' induced some of the artists to try their hands in this, medium. The first attempts of Welch. Ballantyne, and Killick ape by no means unmeriiorious, -and augur ,well for future work in this medium. Mr MacDonald’s own more mature work will be admired- Mr MacDonald has also lent a little pencil sketch of the late Charles Conder, by Leon Pole, and a pencil sketch of himself by J- Quinn, a member, of the Royal Institute of Painters in Oils. Miss Nelson’s fantastic conceits show a great mastery of line. "The Rose Tree’’ (253) is reminiscent of Jessie King, but "The Serenade" (249) is almost masculine in) its assuredness and freedom of line. It possesses a high decoiative quality, and is on excellent piece of work. In the sculpture there is a bright,' well-model-led little head by Hiss Pritchard (266), and - a very well executed figure from! life (267) by Miss Gyles, - which is most graceful, natural, and unaffected. It would, have been better if the students’ competition work in modelling had not been placed in the main hall, which, whichever way one turns, appears rather overloaded with heads of the same model. The proper place for this work is in the ante-room, with

the other competitions. The students’ competition work still maintains its high standard and reflects credit om the art teachers of the Dominion. It is a pity, however, that some of the students continue to enter for. these competitions. In one of the classes no prise was given, it being found that the prise had been won by a student who had won it two years previously. It is quite competent for these students to join and exhibit as artist mbmbers and at the same time'‘pursue their studies at the Technical SchoolThey 'would then allow some of the younger ones a chance in the competitions-, ■, . . . . ’

In the crafts work Mr A. Atkinson exhibits some quaint and well-designed silver, ladles. , An hour’s quiet enjoyment can well be spent at the exhibition this year by the most confirmed Philistine, whilst the real art lover will find much to repay his inspection. <