Art Scholarship Winner

New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 528, 5 August 1949, Page 9

Art Scholarship Winner

ARGARET THOMPSON, the winner of the 1949 Travelling Scholarship offered by the New Zealand Association of Art Societies, is not used to publicity, but she has been getting it during the past week. She finds it a bit overwhelming to have press reporters ringing her up, photographers snapy ping cameras at her, and congratulations pouring in from every point of the compass. As a teacher at the School of Art in Auckland, and before that as a stuy dent, she has lived a quiet and uneventful life. Things have livened up a bit since the news came through that she had won the very handsome art scholarship in competition with young painters from all parts of New Zealand. Margaret Thompson is a little surprised at the good fortune that has come her way. But for the kindly insistence of A. J. C. Fisher, head of the School of Art, she might have let the opportunity slide, and not have entered for the competition. She was hesitant about "giving it a go," but was not allowed to hide her talent. "He practically bullied me into it," she said. At 25, with a good deal of experience gained in ‘painting and in teaching art, she is just at the right age to benefit fully from the adventure that lies before her. She plans to leave for England in December, and to spend at least two years there-two years that will be crammed with work and travel, if all goes well. She is keen to see as much as she can of the great work of past centuries. The paintings of the Renaissance masters will be her special — interest; but she is anxious also to get about England and look at the stained glass in cathedrals and churches, since this is a craft in which she wishes to do some work later on. Margaret Thompson is one of the most talented students the Auckland School of Art has produced, and she

has much to gain from mixing with English painters and working in the studios of some of the English art schools. The two-year period will not allow her to take a complete course at any one school, but she considers that.she will benefit most if she moves about a bit. Her activities, however, will not be devoted entirely to improving her own work. She is a teacher as well as a practising artist, and she wants to see what is being done in the art schools of Great Britain, some of which have a great diversity of courses. It is her hope that she may return to the School of Art in Auckland and continue her teaching, with a mind enriched by experience, and with practical knowledge of various kinds of work carried out in the most up-to-date schools. We hear often enough of talented New Zealanders going abroad and not coming back. Here is one who fully intends

to return.

A. R.

D.F.