WATER COLOURS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22259, 11 May 1934, Page 5

WATER COLOURS

I; WORKOFAUSTRALIAN ARTIST MR TOM GARRETT'S PICTURES.! .-■■A comprehensive collection^,of pictures from the■; brush : of Mr - Tom Garrett, Jhc WcH-known Australian artist, are* at present-being shown -in Messrs Charles Begg and' C6.'s Concert Chamber. Mr Garrett was born in Tasmania, and from early boyhood cherished the ambition, to become an. irtist In. 1908 be ; went to Sydney and .there met the famous Ausr tralian painter Mr J.' J. Hilder, who exercised a great influence on his work. Since then he has devoted the'whole of ■his time tor art and has exhibited in a number; of Australian cities, and some of his work has been sent to the United States. Mr Garrett's art shows a predilectionfor■' the methods of Watteau anrt Gorot, and in his work the influence of Hilder :is very discernible. . ;

There are some 36 pictures on. viiw 'at Messrs Begg arid 'Cd.'s, &ri<l they ebvWr 'k wide variety of subjects. Each, picture conveySjari atmosphere,;Of poetic feelirig, the colour scheme is individual, arid the generar effect marks the true artist. , •;. Lake," with' its foreground of tall; trees, is a picture which cannot fail to attract. ; The lake in the.'! background is presented with almost fairy effect. The, picture indeed is painted: with a sensitiveness arid poetic, art almost unique. ! " The' Birds? IJlaygrpund ■". '*& a picture of an entirely ' different; chavr acterJ The colouring of the jutting rock ;is well, done, and ' the flying birds are depicted with a life-like naturalness. "End of the Town" is, what may be termed a modem composition, with subdued • and nicelyV balanced; tone work. ''Coastlands" is' another .striking illustration of the metier ol Mr Garrett. Tho powerful tracery work in' the trees carir not but make an.. appeal to the lover of art. "The, LastjGlimpse," ." On the Cottar River,'! " Twilight," arid childrpn playing ball ; are a'few other of the, pictures ' which . rhay ' be * worthy 'ixit particular mention. The whole- of the pictures, however, are characterised by a distillation arid delicate ; treatment* which mark the;art of an artist who is deeply in 46ve. with his work "arid has the talent to produce it' on Canvas. The exhibition well- repays a visit. ■ . .• ' : /■.'*•.';;'