SKETCH CLUB

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 June 1940, Page 8

SKETCH CLUB

PAST YEAR’S ACTIVITIES ANNUAL MEETING. DECISION TO CARRY ON. The seventeenth annual report of the Masterton Sketch Club, presented to the annual meeting held in the club’s rooms. Bannister Street, recorded a year of great activity. "The club has been particularly fortunate in its critic. Mrs Edith Boyes, of Wellington, whose sympathetic understanding and helpful criticism were so encouraging for its members.’ the report states. “The first guest afternoon of the year was held in the Countrywomen's Clubroom when each member brought an object of art to be examined and discussed. A most varied and interesting exhibition resulted, many of the beautiful objects being over a hundred years old. “The club was glad to avail itself of an offer by the Little Theatre Society to share its hall in return for the use of the Sketch Club’s furniture, and we moved in in August when the president, Mrs W. Dalziell, entertained members and their friends to a housewarming. Each member brought an original painting as an exhibit, which resulted in an exhibition of pictures by a number of well known artists, including several R.A’s. The next activity was the annual exhibition which was held in the old studio on October 5 and continued for three days. This was very well attended and as a result of the small charge for admission £4 10s was handed to the Patriotic Fund. The Masterton Horticultural Society included an art section in its November Flower Show, at which all our working members exhibited, the prizes going to Mrs Vowell 1, Mrs F. E. Daniell 2, Mrs Ramsay 3, Mrs Brockett highly commended, and to which the club donated 10s 6d for a children's prize.

"The Wellington Sketch Club invited our club to submit pictures for selection for the Sketch Club’s Centennial Exhibition and 22 pictures were accepted. Mrs Boyes very kindly offered to take all these pictures to Wellington and to return them after the exhibition. The club would like to express its gratitude to Mrs Boyes for undertaking this task and saving the club expense. The Wellington Sketch Club is to be congratulated on its Centennial Exhibition and we can appreciate the amount of work and organisation that were necessary to make it the success it was. "At the invitation of our club Mrs Boyes gave an exhibition of her pictures and flower miniatures in the studio on May 26 and 28. A private view was held on May 26 when members entertained their friends at afternoon tea round a huge log fire, which was much appreciated on such a cold day. As it is not possible for the club, which meets only once a month, to undertake war work of its own, the president sent an appeal to all members to join up with the various sewing and knitting circles and to donate parcels of clean old clothing to be made into garments for refugees.. As the war news is now so very grave no doubt many will think it difficult to carry on in the coming year, but some relaxation is necessary and wholesome in times of great stress, and the possibility of carrying on with a reduced programme is well worth considering.” The report was presented on behalf of the committee by Mrs Dalziell (president).

The committee remained the same as that of last year, with exception that Mrs L. Daniell and Mrs E. Shaw were elected in place of Mrs Thompson and Miss Robinson.

After some discussion it was agreed to adhere to the British slogan and carry on as usual, as the work or play, whichever it might be called, provided a genial pursuit for members whereby, for the time being, they forgot the worries caused by troublous times.

It was also decided to hold an exhibition in October and to probably donate any profits to the Red Cross or some similar object.

A vote of thanks was passed to the "Times-Age” for its kindness and help in its newspaper reports. The matter of a critic was left in the hands of the secretary and a member of the committee.