A NOTED WOMAN ARTIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 76

A NOTED WOMAN ARTIST.

Mrs Xormajid ('"Henrietta Rae"') attribute the excellent healfn which she enjoys, and hur capacity to work more unremittingly lhau most women, to the fact thaiJ __ £>s a ehii-J ;*he had pleaty of "outdoor exer- """ ciso. Her study of drawing-, which began seriously at the age of 12 years, was noil allowed to interrupt h-;r energ«tio htibits, for every day, regardless of bad weather, she would walk >vit3i her father, whose profession took him to Bedford row, from their lionise at Hollo way .o the Art School in Quean's square, Bloomsb'.irj. Honesty conx pels Hemv^rfcx Rae +o admit that the te- 1 seription of her study at, that period as "seriors" is tha basest libel! "I drew, of course, for I loved drawing better than anything in tho world; but I seem to remember that my days were characterised by the smallest possible interludes of work scattered in the largest available extensions of chatter and j>euoral inattentivencss. It v/as not all my fanit, cr at least so I protested:; for if they had allowed me to draw! from the life instead of keeping me strictly to the so-called 'free-hand' system then sw persistently pursued, I should not have been so doubtful a blessing in the stucho. Butt in spite of my repeated assurances to the. centraly, ihe professors remained convinced! that young persons of my ambitious temperament should andeviatingly Ir-c taught to walk securely before being allowed t<n run!" It was from Qu-een's square that she went on to the British Museum, and then to the Academy Schools, where sha settled! down sei-iously to the study and pursuit o£ art. In speaking- of the adoption of art as» a profession, Mrs Normand says, ''I would! not like to discourage girls endowed with." real tolent and an unlimited supply of perseverance from following their bent in thia direction; but I would most emphatically remind ihe-n that 'art is long.' and that its is ghen to"" only the few to achieve success. Tho difficulties to be encountered are immense; and viewing the matter from a." solely commercial standpoint, as it needs must be viewed when art is to be made the m»an3 of earning substantial reward fo~ patient endurance, there appears to be no possibility of doubt that with every yeai? ihe conditions for beginners do but become more arduous Nowadays, to be remarkable, which means to be marketable, painting must have extraordinary qualities. B speak, of course, of the work not beoiring; a valuable signature." The p: cture which has brought Mrs Nor-> maud the most popular and financial success was her large "Psyche Before the ,; Throne of Venus"'; but that which has, given th-j artist the greatest personal satis-, 1 fAction and scncc of having come nearest to hoi hope- in the achieving was the "Ophelia"' bought by the Corporation ofi Luerpool.—l. Brooke-Alder, in thg Penny} Magazine.