A NAPIER ARTIST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 897, 17 August 1910, Page 5

A NAPIER ARTIST.

■ PAINTING UNDER DIFFICULTIES. There is at present residing in NapieJ; an artist whose brush has been turned to no mean account, and yet his work has been turned put under great difficulties. The painter is Mr. Lewis Evans, who ia a cripple. .His story is*n rather sad ono.. Ho was born in Birmingham, England, in July, 1878, and is tho grandson of .Walter Switt Evans, the decorative Gothic designer of Birmingham, and nephew of Bernard Evans, R. 1., who was chosen to represent English landscape- water-colour art in the World's.Fair, 'Chicago, and at our own International Exhibition; also of the late EdmuEd Evans, the celebrated etcher, and Wilfrid Evans, architectural water-colour artist and etcher, hoth of whom have exhibited at tho Royal Academy and Dudley Gallery. The early years of Mr, Evans's life, were spent in London, and at tho age of nino a severe illness left him incapacitated, as he is at the present day—dependent on a Bath chair for movement..

•' Owing to jllncss in the family and the unsuitability of .the English climate, young Evans.came to New Zealand with his parents sixteen years ago, and since his recovery his time had been spent chiefly in reading, history, classics, in fact anything that imparted knowledge of men and events, but his favourite study was history, derivation, of races, and records of great battles. No decided leaning to art had up to this been apparent, but a study of a head from lite had clearly indicated' talent, according to his uncle; and always impressed by the lovely effect on ocean, expanse of scenery, mountains, and lulls,'he decided to try to. depict them.- ■;

' Then began a strenuous, uphill' fight, in the face of many difficulties, without master or school, and often with tho necessities wanting to pursue''his art, h< persevered. . '..,.-

From the first his methods have been conscientious and systematic. He has from time to time sent some of his sketches to his uncle, Mr. Bernard Evans, for advice, who on receipt of the first set him a coursi) of studios; ho also studied the methods of Wylio and M'Whirter, but Nature seems to have been.his chief teacher.

Ho is now disposing of his work by art union? and in view of this, lie has decided to scud some'of his paintings to Wellington, with the hope of bringing the art union to a successful issue. Two of his works aro on view at Messrs. -M Oregor Wright's and two at Wluttakore. Thews mo seventeen prizes and nineteen pictures. - '