Artists' Corner

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 387, 22 June 1928, Page 14

Artists' Corner

• i i IN SEVENTEEN DAYS THE AUCKLAND ARTS SOCIETY SOLD A MEAGRE £55 WORTH OF WORK. WHAT IS WRONG? ; i i IMPORTANT WELLINGTON PURCHASE The Auckland Society of Arts, in seventeen days, could not sell pictures of a greater total value than £55. This is a deplorable state of affairs, and reflects little credit on a city of the importance of Auckland. rpHE artist, after all, must live. What incentive is there for him to send pictures to Auckland when the price of one really interesting work cannot be obtained? Sales were at least £IOO beneath those of last year. Though proceeds from the art union brought the total of pictures disposed of up to £2OO, the sales in 1923, a record year, were over the £ 1,000 mark. Times are not as bad as they were. The period of depression is passing. There must be some reason for the falling off. Attendances were good. But, maybe, the Blake drawings had something to do with that. The committee, quite naturally, has come in for a certain amount of criticism. That must be expected, and doubtless it is used to it. It would be much more to the point, however, if members generally took a much more live interest in the affairs of the society. Last year’s annual meeting almost lapsed for want of a efuorum. That is the time for members to air their grievances—and exercise their voting privilege. Let us sincerely hope there will be a better attendance at the approaching annual meeting. MORE MEMBERS WANTED One matter that should engage the attention of the council is the urgent need for a thorough canvass of the city for new members. Something should be done to interest the average citizen in the mission of art and beauty. There is a place for art in his life, if only he can be convinced of that fact. It is to the prosperous business man of the city that the artist must look to purchase his wares. It is extraordinary, too, how keen some collectors beccome once they have the nucleus of a collection in hand. Painters who disposed of work at the exhibition, either by sales or in connection with the union, included W. Robert Johnson, C. G. Lynes, Alice F. Whyte, Ivy Perry, Ivy M. Copeland, Minnie F. White, Winifred Caddy, E. C. Kerkin, Ella Spicer, D. V. Young, Grace Butler, Cedric Savage, J. A. Heginbotham, Florence Lake, R. F. Way, Trevor Lloyd, Hilda Wiseman, Kathleen Salmond, H. H. Pulleine, Una Garlick, and Leah H. Hayne (hand-painted china). As the result of generous contributions from the public the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts has purchased “May Morning,” by Harold Speed, one of the gems of the E. Murray Fuller collection, for the Wellington Gallery. The price was £l5O. * * * Wellington has the distinction, at the moment of seeing a Raeburn portrait. It has been loaned by the owner, Mrs. H. D. Crawford. A fine water-colour by John Gully is also on view. it is the gift of Mr. Ernest Beil, a life member of the Academy. * * * Cedric Savage, the young New Zealander, now resident in Sydney, provided some of the most interesting work in this year’s Auckland show. He was also one of the few fortunate painters to sell a picture. Commenting upon a recent show in Sydney, an Australian critic, speaking of Mr. Savage’s work, wrote: “Vigorous, clear-cut colouring is the characteristic of the collection of this young New Zealander. . . . Most ambitious in subject matter is ‘Nocturne,’ one of those sensuous turquoise nights beside a slumbering lake. Mr. Savage seems happier in these studies than in his pictures of glaciers and mountain passes. Three blendings of greens impart a good sunlight effect to a picture of a spring in the bush. . . . Archibald Nicoll and Sydney Thomson instructed Cedric Savage at the Christchurch School of Art, before he left for Australia. —ERIC RAMSDEN.

BOOKS IN DEMAND AT THE AUCKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY FICTION “A PRESIDENT IS BORN,” by Fannie Hurst. “A MARRIAGE,” by Adelaide Eden Philpotts. “HELEN,” by Georgette Heyer. “BIG FOOT," by Edgar Wallace. “THIRTEEN STORIES,” by R. B. Cunninghame Graham. “BEAU IDEAL," by P. C. Wren “LITTLE MEXICAN,” by Aldous Huxley. “SIXES AND SEVENS,” by O. Henry. “A MUMMER'S TALE,” by Anatole France. IVAR A\ I) PEACE,” by Count Leo Tolstoy. NON-FICTION “THE UNCENSORED DARDANELLES,” by E. Ashmead-Bartlett. THIS BLIND ROSE,” by Humbert Wolfe. “MEMORIES OF BOOKS AND PLACES,” by J. A. Hammerton. “MODERN MUSICIANS," by J. C. Haddon. “MAKING OF MAN,” by Sir Oliver Lodge. “STALKY'S REMINISCENCES," by L. C. Dunsterville. “CAIN, OR THE FUTURE OF CRIME,” by G. Godwin. “AN OUTLINE HISTORY OF PAINTING,” by S. C. K. Smith. “THE HISTORIC THAMES,” by H. Belloc. ‘■BOLSHEVISM, FASCISM, AND DEMOCRACY .» by F. gitti, 1