Wieneke Archive Book 3 : Moreton Galleries 1960-61 Presscuttings

93 -But will hold painting exhibition At the age of 93, Miss Bessie Gibson of Brisbane, is going ' to hold another exhibi- tion of European paintings. ' This makes her one of the oldest exhibiting art- ists in the world. She is Australian -born, but, ur, .1 her return to .., Queensland, in 1947, she spent most of her many paintings years abroad. One of the "miracles" of ' her long professional -art- ' ,ci. 1st's life. was the survival ..,.. of her private gallery of I''f, painting that fell into' '-' German hands. Fled Paris She escaped to London I from Paris before the Ger-, man invasion of 1930-but, had to leave her pictures'. behind in her flat. At the end of World, War II. she returned tool-, Parts, and to her flat, took ,` her flat key from her purse. opened the door - and there were the Mc- , tures, still untouched. The building containing her flat had been mined for demolition by the Germans-hut someone apparently forgot to blow it up! The group of paintings she will exhibit at the Moreton Galleries, begin- ning on Monday, October 31, will include pictures of Pans subjects and scenes. Liked France Bessie Gibson was born in 1867. Her father was a doctor, who took her abroad with him when she was 17 years old. She came tack to Aus- tralia for a while, but liked France so much she returned in 1905, and stayed. Moreton Galleries direc- tor (Mr. James WIenekei said yesterday critical opinion placed Miss Gibson as one of the finest women painters Australia has had. She is represented in many private collections, and in the Queensland National Art Gallery. In her Paris years she exhibited at the Paris Salon. .v7sreskirrrilf. Older Gibson skill ilEIA 11.1.1: HAI'SOM The Moreton Gal- leries are present- ing an out -of-the - past exhibition of small u nit.rmilurs and oil paintings by I it is 0 grand old artist. Hiss Bessie ' Gibson. Miss Gibson, who is in her nineties and now ,s41esident in Brisbane. re- seals in these early sketches an atmosphere I tedolent of a leisurely tt4d.tbd what must have been a most pleasurable and ` " lengthy sojourn abroad. ' Over the exhibition an air of tranquility hangs.( Here are no emotional ' 1 ees. but what is seen Iticlpressions of disturb- ' ri fleets the quiet appre- ciation of soft beauty by a gentle person. Her craftsmanship is sound and her tech- nique broad and telling. She is equally at home in both media. Por- traiture. still life and landscape are also handled efficiently. This exhibition is im- portant and should give a great deal of pleasure to those who delight In the direct impression 01 :tic natal impttet. . - - - E635/ d e 65 ART REVIEW by Drst Gertrude Langer BESSIE GIBSON'S PAINTINGS BESSIE Gibson's oils and ton Galleries are of the old artist lived In Paris. Among the oils it is the small paintings such as "Market Pine, Honfleur," "Market Scene," "Versailles Garden," "St. Marc's, Veil - ire," and some paintings of quiet waters and sailboats ;ilia have the most charm. Miss Gibson took from impressoinism not the ideas the rainbow palette and if colour division, but ttmorp hhei cg ouedaoo rd paint--3: and of capturing the rst impression. (lee soft grey tones and paring use of colour owe more to Corot than to the impressionists. Miss Gibson handles her water 'colours at the More. time whoa the now 92 -year - greys very beautifully, in- deed. Her touch is extremely light and delicate. She speaks, so to speak, in a low, gentle voice. Some of the water colours. such as "Garden Lake, Paris," "Bridge over the Seine," and "Peasant Girl," show a more lavish use of colour and a rather more vigorous touch than the oils. But work in both media is quite spontaneous. Miss ()Ibsen also exhibits sonic miniature portraits. In these, naturally, the work is painstaking and exact as tradition in this particular field demands. "TOO OLD TO PAINT," BUT.. At 92, an art show A 92 -YEAR -OLD spinster, " her white hair neatly coiled in a hair -net, sat quietly play- ing patience yesterday-un- excited by the opening of an exhibition of her paintings. She is Miss Bessie Gibson, one of the oldest exhibiting artists in the World. Ipswich -born, Miss Gibson spent 42 years in Europe, much of it in France. Predominant in the exhibition of her work at Moreton Galleries arc scenes of Paris and French people - peasants, an artist, and gypsies. "I'm too old now to paint - I don't feel it any more, and my sight is bad," said Miss Gibson softly. "The modern school? I don't like it and I don't understand it. What is the use of a model or a lovely scene if you can't recognise it in the paint- ing?" she asked. Miss Gibson probably won't even go to see her exhibition. "I'm too old even for that-but I might see some of it on TV . . . I'm not sure what paintings are in the exhibition, and even though I can see each one I painted in my mind's eye, It would please me to see them again," she added. Art review - Page 2 I/18 it'..4040tr. FUSS BESNIE CIBSON she's finished painting, but 'MI. still exhibiting. THE GIRL IN PINK . of 40 guineas, it one of the highest priced paint- ings in the Moreton Gal- lery exhibition of Miss Bessie Gibson's work. 1111)1TATIOTI t I 1 I Exhibition of Paintings i'\ MISS BESSIE Gipson ;1st october - iith Aovernber 1960 rit THE MORET011 GALLERIES P. Aiiiding, Edward Street, (:Brisbane %Mr,.