A FAMOUS SCULPTOR

Hokitika Guardian, 26 March 1926, Page 1

A FAMOUS SCULPTOR

SIR BERTRAM MACKENNAL. AUCKLAND, March 24

There is nothing in the idea that an artist may he known by his appeniriince. Some men high in the world of art still cultivate the long hair, Vnnlyke heard, wide-awake hat and billowing neckerchief, of Bohemia, but Fliers of no less renown find such a panoply foreign to their nature. One if them is Sir Bertram. Maekennal, K.C.V.0., R.A., the famous Austra-

lian-born sculptor, who reached Auckland h.v the Ulimaroa on a short visit. Sir Bertram can claim, nearly everyone in the Empire as a client, for his portrait of King George is on our coinage, hut to the outward view he might ho n business man. a doctor or any nno of a dozen other occupations. Ono could not call him an ordinary citizen. Something in is lively blue eyes, at once shy and humorous, sots him apart from other men.

Though his native land until lately had not seen him for many years, Sir Bertram is still an Australian. His thin, clean-shaven face, long, straight nose, and care-free air, bespeak of his origin. ft is hard to believe that ho is sixtv-three. A rapid .guess would probably place him at forty-five or fifty at the most.

Sir Bertram has eotne here on business. as lie puts it. The Auckland Racing C’luh. which is thinking of creeling a. statue of its president, Sir Edwin Mitchelson, in the gardens at Ellorslio. has asked him to come and advise, it. If he will accept the commission. so much the better. “They hardly lot me alone for fivo minutes in Melbourne, and it was the same in Sydney,” he said in an interview. “There were callers and telephone rings all the time at my hotel. T had to go into the park to write my letters. No. I have not been in New Zealand before. This time I am staying only a- few days, hut T mean to come over later on. T shall he in Australia till Christmas on business. Then they want me at Brisbane, and T have been asked to go to Perth as well.”

Sir Bertram did not want to talk about art in a newspaper interview, hut on being assured that he would not be asked his opinion of, says Mr Epstein, lie was prevailed upon to say a little about sculpture in Australia. “ The young man out here who wants to take it up has a. hard time,” he said. “It- is altogether different with the painter. He can draw for the Press in black and white. Ho can do small things and earn enough to keep him going, but the sculptor has a long, hard task before him.”