NOTED ARTIST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20669, 6 March 1937, Page 21 (Supplement)

NOTED ARTIST

MR LAMORNA BIRCH VISITS TIMARU DOMINION’S SCENERY PRAISED Mr J. S. Lamoma Birch, R.A., R.W.S.. the famous landscape artist, arrived in Timaru after a tour of the North Island. “I am almost driven to despair,” Mr Birch said when a reporter called upon him. "So much to paint, and so little time; it’s most distressing.” Although he is 68 years of age It is a very dull day that keeps him indoors; and even as most artists rarely look their age, so does Mr Birch look many years younger than he really is; nor does he betray it when he talks of the good times he is having in New Zealand. On Thursday he travelled over the Canterbury Plains, which, he said, reminded him of Somersetshire and Wiltshire. The rivers he crossed gave him the greatest pleasure. He had seen some wonderful scenery, and had been piloted through the country by Mrs Vane, herself an artist. There was natural beauty in every country and New Zealand was rich in it.

Pleasing Drawings Mr Birch said that he had been having a very enjoyable time since his arrival; he had seen many beautiful places and had secured a number of pleasing drawings. Already he had completed over a dozen oils and many water-colours embodying many facets of New Zealand scenery. He is keeping a voluminous diary, relieved with pencil sketches. Mr Birch produced his diary. The “drawings,” as he called them, were really beautiful examples of his skill. “I think there are some very capable painters in New Zealand. I only hope they win tackle their jobs more fearlessly and not think so much about making a picture, as giving out their own expression. Don’t be tied to the old painters, but develop a strong personal outlook, is my advice. By all means study the old traditions. Success in interpreting personal outlook is success in Art. National Gallery Praised “At the foundation of all Art is draftsmanship. If young painters will only leave no stone unturned to become proficient draftsmen, they will be masters of their craft, for whatever trend they fancy, that school is founded on good draftsmanship. If the bones of the structure are correct, the complete article will be the ‘goods.’ This cannot be impressed too strongly. Paintings with good foundations will live,” said Mr Birch.

In passing, Mr Birch mentioned his visit to the National Art Gallery, in Wellington. He considered it delightful, but there would have to be more attention paid to lighting. On a grey day it was perfect, but in bright sunshine it was difficult to see the real values of the pictures.

Some interesting observations on English art were made by Mr Birch. He considered that the most serious painters were turning back to the traditions of painting. There were a few who were trying to find a new outlook and give new expression. There was not the sentimentality or finish of the Victorian age.

“I suppose they are striving for a new expression,” said Mr Birch. "Coming as I do from the older audience, it is difficult for me to understand. My own view is that Art has got so far behind science that it feels that it should endeavour to catch up, which, of course, is impossible.” English Art was definitely waking up. There were many promising young painters, but owing to the number of different schools it was difficult to select any individual names. English people had a definite sense of art appreciation, but from a “commercial” point of view artists found painting difficult. Mr Birch attributed this to the coming of motor cars, which took people from their homes so much that home decoration had declined. The popularity of dining saloons and clubs had created a definite demand for good wall decorators. Artists in this sphere were in great shortage. Great Fishing Mr Birch saw something of his favourite sport while at Rotorua; and at Taupo, to his infinite delight, landed a beautiful fish. “I'm as proud of that as anything else I’ve done,” was his comment. The fish weighed BUb, but the artist in Mr Birch saw past its weight, to the perfect symmetry and condition of the fish. It was such a rare specimen that Mr Birch did a water-colour “drawing” of it, which is so life-like that it almost blinks an eye of recognition at one. Mr Birch says that as early as 1868 trout ova were sent to New Zealand from his district, so it is quite possible the fellow he caught in the Waikato river is a relative of the brown trout that play in the waters of the Old Country. Mr Birch is a great friend of Dame Laura Knight. His name figures frequently in her very fine book, "Oil Paint and Grease Paint.”