Child Artists

Southland Times, Issue 20499, 30 May 1928, Page 5

Child Artists

(From Our Correspondent.) London. Three-year-old Jean Weir, of Heathfield, Sussex, whose chief delight is to draw pictures of little girls like herself, has suddenly become famous. Half a dozen of her sketches are “hung” in the 29th annual exhibition of the Royal Drawing Society, which opens to-day at the Guildhall Art Gallery. Described as “the children’s Royal Academy,” the show contains 12,000 pictures by children in all parts of the Empire. Little Jean, the youngest exhibitor, has produced some remarkable work, which is labelled “delight in movement and facial expression.” H?r subjects include “Shy Girl,” a crayon drawing of a bashful-looking child: an amusing sketch of a “Girl Excited,” “Girl Skipping,” “Girl Bowling a Hoop,” and “Girl in a Bath.” Another budding artist is four-year-old Joan Sadleir Spackman, of Croydon, who loves her paint brush. She has painted a seascape flecked with splendid “white horses.” The “blue-ribbons” of the exhibition have been awarded to Anne Harris-St. John, aged 15, and to 18-year-old C. J. E. Coombs, of Clifton College. The boys’ drawings depict their interest in racing motor-cars, aeroplanes and railway engines, while the girls’ choice of subjects deal chiefly with fairies, children and pathetic scenes. The little artists are encouraged to send their sketches to the Royal Drawing Society, who return them with detailed criticisms and helpful suggestions. “Comparatively few of the exhibitors will become professional artists,” said Mr T. R. Abktt, the founder of the society. The drawings, however, frequently indicate their future careers. ‘ One boy, for instance, who used to draw aeroplanes, is now in charge of an A.R.F. bombing station in Iraq. A girl who used to submit plant drawings is in the research department at Kew.”