INVERCARGILL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 37, 4 January 1889, Page 20

INVERCARGILL.

Sr. CATHERINE'S DOMINICAN CONVENT.

(By an occasional Correspondent.)

Tme annual exhibition of paintings, drawings, needle and other fancy work, which took place on Friday, 28th December, in the Convent School Hall, was undoubtedly a decide! success, and a marked improvement on any of its previous displays. Year after this exhibition v becoming highly appreciated, more popular, and earnestly looked forward to. Ahe numerous well arranged and valuable articles submitted after the pupils' twelvemonths labour, was most creditable to themselves, and highly satisfactory to their teachers ; though not work exemplifying the higi est technicalities of design, nevertheless betraying withal bewildering variety and diversity of aim and method The promoters of those en teemed arts have shown exemplary)ibera'*ty. In throwing open their doors to the criticism of all comers, they are clearly entitled to public sympathy and encouragement. A highly respectable number assembled during the afternoon and evening to witness and comment on the merits or demerits, as the case may be, of the varicus works of art. It may fairly be contemplated ibat their criticisms and impressions were tolerably favourable. The usual white walls of the building were completely bedecked with richlj -framed pictures of various sizes, shades, and subjects in oils, water colours, crayon, sepia, and chryatoleum. whilst the ground-floor wns tastefully ornamented with fancy articles, composed t f mirrors, piano, foostools, tables, and other things too numerous to mention. The first piece of artistic work arresting attention is an oil painting < f Mary Stuart receiving her death warrant, 2£ft. by 2ft. by Miss J. Hughes. This, to say the least of it, is a canua) production, most absorbing, and must have taken this talented and peisevering artist a considerable and painstaking time to p^urtray it in the manner it indicates. Two others in oils by the flame lady, entitled " Tarawera Eruption," and " Monte-Video," have charming colourings The next in order is one in oil, and two in watercolours by Miss M. J. Thompson, the former a medium-sized New Zealand view. Here this promising lady displays the almost photographic exactitude that marks her works of this class. She also deserves a word cf praise for two very pretty bannerettes. The bashful young man, under the nom-do-plume "an extern pupil," exhibits five in namber, all were admirably painted, deligntfully unaffected in sentiment, and promises highly for this novice. Of Miss K. Buckley's many offerings Mount Cook in oil is foremost and has depicted the ultra realistic characteristics of this Mount which may be more easily imagined thin described. Miss McLtod's three drawings in oil and two in water were very praiseworthy, more particularly " The Shipwreck " (the name of which your correspondent was unable to ascertain). An undue amount of patience, taste, and scrutineering must have been brought to bear on the brushwork of this drawing, as it produced a highly impressive effect on the visitors. The fancy and various typical flowers under glass and the magnificently painted mirror, by this lady, also enlisted attention. In this laitmenlion d work, Miss Whitaker shone forth, with a swan and other designs embedded at each s'de, which gave to this mirror an admirably attractive appearance. Of the oil and water-colour productions by the Misses J., X., and L. G ilbrai'h, the one treating on a New Zealand Bcene was b held as most sublime, setting out prominently the cabbage- tree and other natural concomitants added.showing that albeit realistic truth and pictorial qualities of colour and effect are achieved by those lady painters. Aleo those last mentioned ladies exhibited in sepia a very old ancient mansion that is still in existence in the old country,; those, together with, two pretty painted mtrrois, all sotting forth the masterly performances of those accomplished artiste.

In the chrystoleutn line, Mist Little, in cabinet size, painted a photograph of herself and brother, Miss Whitaker of her mother, and Miss Hngbes of Bishop Moran. Suffice it to say in their bebaH that those works created impressions fully confirming their skilful adaptations. All that is wanted to make Miss Lizzie Maher an efficient artist if more thorough scholastic training, together with a right eon* ception of the ultimate capabilities of the art. Her two water* colour drawiogs were exquisite, as were also two belonging to Miss F. Kennelly, while those pictures coming from the hands of Miss Collins, one sepia, two watei -colour and tw* tombarines were handsome. The exercise books by Misses 8, and T. Morgan, K. Buckley, E. Morton, M. O'Hara, L. Bodgers, and Little, were perfectly clean and legible. The mantle drapes by the Misses M. Cavanagb, K. Kempton, M. A. Gavin, and R. Roobe were taste* fully disposed of. In the flower department Miss Muion Btook secured the palm for eight dahlias— varieties. To say the least of those lovely flowers they were simply perfect. The shade of flower* br an extern pupil, the trees of ro.es ani camelia by Miaft Morgan, the pollscreen by Miss Greenslade, and several i>lain and fancy articles by Miss O'Hara were fully up to their usual standard. The last item, but not by any means the least significant, was an oil painting entitled "Wreck of the Talaroa," by Miss Morgan. This picture, whioh averages two feet square, was copied from a newspaper skstch, and reflect* high credit on this rising prominent artist. As the greater number of those pictures are kindly lent to the Qarisen Band Exhibition com* mittee, no doubt within the next few daysithe public will avail them* selves c f the opportunity of testifying to those fine arts referred to.