Wieneke Archive Book 3 : Moreton Galleries 1960-61 Presscuttings

SQUARES IN BRISBANE Moreton Galleries have a mixed show of oils and watercolors by contemporury Australians all well -qualified technically whether the result is a success or not. L doubt it in the case of Lance Solomon, whose skill in the only oil he shows is not given u chance. Bruce Fletcher, apparently a young man with a taste for simple composition, handles his material competently but is immature ; Ray Crooke's commonplace presentation in oil lacks the brio of his versions of Torres Strait life, His seaside picnic is well done but dull. G. K. Townshend, showing two charac- teristic watercolors, is enormously com- petent and nobody does smooth -pleasant watercolor better. He is an example of the Australians in the English tradition who do watercolor with exceptional ease. Sir Lionel Lindsay is one of the ex- patriates who did his best work in color abroad-a Spanish scene near Malaga has his usual gusto inspired by the Spanish air and clear sunlight. The late Kenneth Macqueen's contributions are paradoxical. One, a clean piece of farm- land seen as if from a great height under the usual nice Niacqueenish clouds is a success, but the other, specifically his version of cloud -masses and so labelled, fails. In the oils section, Sam Fullbrook dis- plays his clever tonal manipulation in his small "Night Scene," generally sombre but glowing dully with color at the red of the scale. Robert Johnson repeats his endearing grey -blue air and hills away in the distance ; his formulary is restricted but not necessarily the worse for that. James Jackson springs a surmise with a very strong piece in heavy brushwork of men at work building a yacht. His general deep tone of brown -orange -red makes a vivid show, so different from his usual palette. William Dargie with his steel -clad mastery of effect contributes an authoritative version of a still-life 'flower study. Three artists stand out ; the success of one of them is warming. Those of us who long ago barracked for Roland Wakclin, when outcast as an honest innovator, will be mighty pleased with his "Summer Light from Ball's Head," charged with the subtle harmonies and beautiful composition of his great days; a distant mass of buildings in fading but still bright sunlight over a wide spectrum against a crimson evening sky-a little masterpiece. His landscape job next door is too loose and sagging. Cieorge Lawrence in a street scene is his usual able, careful self. This is a very good picture in which Lawrence, in a very taking composition, cleverly dissipates strong color around so as. I assume, to scduco the eye where he wants it to go. Santry shows an amazing jump from Daiimier inspiration stuff to Camille Fis,arro ; his pointillist "Afternoon: Sydney" is a very good painting as rarishins and lively in color as you could wish. Nobody of the advanced contemporary schools of style. color and subject unless he w:re quite fanatical could.cavil at the standard of this wholly traditional lot of sound painting. J. V. Dunic ftwsesp.sss VW'. Ira 11110.-. MI 41i40.4 ART REVIEW by Dr. Gertrude Langer In an Easter exhild Lion of paintineS, the Moreton Galleries, Ed- ward Sheri, presents water colors an oils by Australian artists. They have captured here and there, slices of the pleasant aspect of the Australian scene. Ray crooxes seascape, Lance Solomon's Sliver Creek, George Lawrence's Street in Wollstonecraft. Santry's Afternoon: Syd- ney. and Roland Wake- lin's Small Slimmer Light from Dall's Head. Sydney (which appears to be the best of his contributions) are up to standard typi- cal works. fair Lionel Lindsay's 0101altar0' Malaga seems rather dated.' Bruce Fletcher. a 2l- year -old painter whose work shows intelligent use of Meldrum's prin- ciples, exhibits mature natntinas in Grey Day. Clontarf, Sydney and Rocks. Sea and Cliffs, Eden. Sam Fulibrook's Night by the Sett and Track Past the Scrub are small, but charming pieces. The late Kenneth Macoueen's The Cloud and Over the Downs are strong in both design and execution, William Dargle's Flower Piece is well-handied.- biELVILLE HAYSO in O OW robs4 ski of t11 $i iPled OS sad A No" fter. hi, irs at OIR Sberd SWI °I I ra Wes AA I II 141'1 *Olt rd Xac psi ol PO of d twee Yu tr efbity In ten e li*EiorlA b Isisol 061110 edi Ws Om * &NA 10 61 lat rt 4 ea* Moi Mod Pore. *Shwa 121. 11 la MO tr