JAMES M. NAIRN.

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 23, 22 October 1920, Page 9

JAMES M. NAIRN.

EXHIBITION OF HIS WORK

• (By "Sylvius.") ! It was a happy idea for the Council of the New Zealand Acaderav of line Aits to have thought of an exhibition of the won; of the late Mr. James M. Nairn, tor. though that notahly flne artist left a name behind him in New Zealand that will hi* slow work for Time to obliterate, the vonnger generation of artists ana au lovers may not have the acquaintance with his superb craftsmanship an did th?se with whom he walked and worked. Look ing back on the man and his work it s no wonder at all that his art stands out prominently at once the hope and despair of the fiedgliue artist. James Nairn was truly a man with • spring in his heart and nature In his brush." who scorned to paint anything that was not God-created and who as a colourist-and he was a darins une-was always prepared to prove the truth of. the effects his pigments had * "What d'ye think o' that?" said the artist one day returning from an excursion into the dawn, and exhibiting a sketch. "I don't think there ever was such a pink skv." returned his friend. ;'Oh, ye don t, don't ye?" said Mr. Nairn, nettled. "Weel, come wi' mo the morn's morn, an I'll show ye!" The story is-"as typical as it' is true. Mr. Nairn was always eager to prove out of the. Book of Nature thathis artist's eve for • colour was never at fault." The exhibition, thoueh not aB large as mielit have been expected, shows the arttßt's strength and broad versatility, and catholic taßte in art. There are those lnrge pastorals "A Summer Idyll." and "Cliangme Vasture's." with the graßß anu rushes of the foreground life-size—like ft kincma "close-up"—which few artists could emulate with any certitude of success. And the crass is so real, and the splaßheß of sunlight and shade so vividly natural.that one feels on standing before them that 0110 is included in the scene. Students nay attention to Nairn's cloud effects. It Is oasting no reflections to vay that New; Zealand has no artist who can paint.|'the emptv vast, and wandering air" like Jtimes Nairn. His clouds "float by with silver . sails," beautiful In their t i!lowy_ softness and ethereal airncss.- "ICau Bay" iB a very beautiful example of Nairn'B power as a nature colourlst. Anyone who has watched the dying snn illuminating the hills nIon? tho western side of-ilie entrance to Wellington Harbour in the summer-timo will bow to the artist's touch in this painting. And away up In the blue sky float a few free clouds which .are faintly blushing their adieu to the sinking Eun. Thero • are, too, choice bits of Silverstream. ever 60 fresh and rj>:il—with movement in the water and summer in the trees; a couple of smoky, smithy soenes, mriously faithful in tonD, and tho master's touch in the nose of the* figures. Mr. Nairn was equally good in water-colours and oils, and .could paint portraits with the same facility and strength as he could landscapes, as is shown by those of the lata Mr. -John Newton, .Mr, E. TT. 1011b,' and Mr. D. M. Luckle.

••Tho exhibition was opened to members laßt evenlne by the president (Mr. T. Shailer Weston), who said that Mr. James M. Nairn had come out from Scotland for the benoflt of his health in the early '90's, being one of a justly celebrated Glasgow school of painters, and probably his work and teaching had done more to inculcate tho broad principles of art as applied to painting than any other artist New Zealand has had. His sift as a colourist,' Ills wide diversity of subject, fnd his excellent draughtsmanship made his work Btand. out for its intrinsic merit, Tho artist, who had worked and taueht in Wellington, and had been well known to many ■ present, died in 1904—died too young. He hoped that, the prices Nairn's paintings were commanding now would encourago the public to buy tho works of many of their younger artists who were now doing such sound work. Ho had much pleasure in declaring the exhibition open. (Applause.)