SKETCH EXHIBITION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 823, 23 May 1910, Page 5

SKETCH EXHIBITION.

NEW ZEALAND ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS. The.New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts annual sketch exhibition was opened on Saturday afternoon. Of the best of the sketches none are moro interesting or. of more value to students, than those of Van der Velden, whoso uniformly good work should have an inspiring influence on artists. He is represented by a strongly painted sketch of a garden in Tinakori Road and somo excellent studies in foliage. The same artist also has somo illuminative black and white sketches of babies —something out of the Van der Velden way—quaint and charming, and a charcoal, or black crayon, nocturne of Wellington, introducing a clever light effect. Mr. R. E. Clouston exhibits good draughtsmanship in his pastel sketches (for o'il paintings) of Mrs. Fowlds (wife of the Hon. Geo.. Fowlds), and Mr. Wardell, president of tho academy. There is also a sketch or the Rev. Mt. D. Sykes, of the Tipper Hutt, aud a couple of small landscapes, in which there is merit. That painstaking artist, Mr. H. M. Gore, has seven or eight small sketches, the composition and draughtsmanship of which are good. The best of them is a bend in the Ruamahanga River, which should make a fine picture. Mr. Linley Richardson's sketches inolude a dance on shipboard and high-sea games, aud also one, of more particular merit, of an old stable, well worth developing ink) a picture. Miss D. K. Richmond is represented by a single sketch—a shed and dove-cot at Nelson— a rather nice little thing. Owen Merton, of Christcliurch, sketches well. He has three in the exhibition, the pick of which is an impression of tho Westminster Gardens. Mr. Henri Bastings has two oils and four water-colour sketches that are well worth inspection. The oils represent Kaiwarra Gorge and Rona Bay, three of the water-colours are bits sketched around Pahsutanui, and tho other is a view of Wellington Harbour from Mount Victoria. Nugent Welch gets amongst the ships again, and does his hobby credit. Ho also has an Alpine scene, which shows a good grip of distance and altitude. Mrs. Robiesou (nee Miss Edith Bendall) exhibits a sk»tch of the figure, and another batch of chubby babies, which aro always delightful. Miss Myrtle Leo, of the Hutt, has somo nice littlo bits_ of Wellington that catch the eye with their correct draughtsmanship. Mr. H. J. Babbage, of Wanganui, who recently returned to New Zealand from a trip abroad, has some attractive oil and sketches, that are an indox to good work. Other sketches which aro worthy not notice are those forwarded by Mr. Nicholson, of Nelson, and Mrs. Clifford Goddcn.

The exhibition will bo open to tho public until "Wednesday evening.