MR. GIFFORD'S SECOND ANNUAL ART-UNION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 1 November 1880, Page 2

MR. GIFFORD'S SECOND ANNUAL ART-UNION.

Our readers will observe in our issusufr to-day in another column the annoumoment of Mr. Edward A. Gilford's sccondl annual art-union. Judging from the hearty way in which the tickets for tholast art union were taken up, we have no. doubt that the required 100 members will soon be forthcoming, and we would recommend those who desire to subscribe, to make early application in order to prevent unnecessary delay. The: prizes six in number are now on view at the Athenasum, and wei have much pleasure in testifying to< their excellence as works of art. Mi. Gifford with each fresh effort sueins to improve, and we cannot fail to record our high appreciation of the painings now submitted. The water-color '' Oamaru Bay and Breakwater " is a perfect gem of its kind, and evinces much careful study and close application in the bringing out of tho minute details of the subject. Tho view of the town is a fair and pleasant one to look upon, irrespective altogether of its artistic features, and the Breakwater itself is done to the life. The shipping in the harbor denote that the port of Oamaru is one of 110 Jittlo: importance. We think that Mr. Gilford', excels in sea and sky, but in this particular picture he appears to have exercised his leeding talent in this respect to unusual advantage. The other prizes are all possessed of more or less merit, and any one of thcck would well recompense the fortunate drawer of a prize ticket. We do not wish to flatter the artist, but we thini it due to him to add that it is not »mrp«sing to us that Mr. Gifford's merits have been long ago rewarded with tWartists' "blue, riband"—the gold laedsj! of tho Royal; Academy.