BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Sketch Club Semi-Annual Art Exhibition

British Columbia Ladies' Mirror - December 15, 1923


     The Vancouver Sketch Club is to be congratulated on the creditable exhibition presented to the public at the club rooms, Pender Street, during the last week. The addition of several new members perhaps had the effect of introducing new work with a refreshing originality.

     During the last twelve months nearly eighty new members were added to the club membership, which materially strengthens its standing as a live force in the artistic life of Vancouver. During the week's exhibition over five hundred art lovers passed through the club rooms, where they were received by different ladies acting as hostesses over the cheering teapot.

     The work exhibited covered an ambitious field, including portraiture, pastel, landscapes, seascape, miniature and pencil. Miss Theo Adamson exhibited several of her delightful etchings. Her False Creek, and a vista of Durham Cathedral seen through the river mist calls for special mention. The work of Dr. G. Gladwin, a new member, was noticeable, both for its versatility and its merit. His Happy Valley, Ludshott, being particularly admired for its warmth of atmosphere, and masterly handling of colour.

     The art of Harry Cowper, the sailor-artist, was exemplified by three seascapes, one, a picture of a tall sailing ship weathering a storm, we are informed was started on board ship on the Atlantic, and finished at the club rooms here in Vancouver. His wonderful painting of sky and sea betray him as one who has lived on and studied old ocean in all its moods.

     A number of sketches of British Columbia's scenery by Mr. C.S. Rigby were remarkable for the atmosphere of mountain, torrent and forest, possible through the medium of pencil, in the hand of a master of his art, as is Mr. Rigby.

     The freshness of colour in the two pictures of the impressionist school, by Mrs. S. Frame, was the subject of complimentary comment.

     Mrs. George Gilpin, in her picture of Moses Coulee, Wash., has given us a clever portrayal of sun-baked rocks and parched grass of a very high order. A clever young portrait painter of whom Vancouver will undoubtedly hear more is Miss D. Thompson. Her portraits in oils with their color values and regard to detail were a pleasing feature of the exhibition.

     Mrs. F.T. Schooley, who, through social activities rising from the visit of Viscount Leverhulme, was unable to be present, contributed a tone poem in colour, a landscape in oils, fairly redolent of the warm skys and balmy airs of Italy.

     A collection of miniatures by Mrs. F. Macey was a pleasing new feature.

     The hanging committee performed their task in a very creditable matter. No picture was skyed, and every one hung with careful regard.

     It is a cause for regret that the walls of the club rooms are painted an insipid light color. With a darker background every picture would be seen to much better advantage.

     Those exhibiting included: Mrs. F. Macey, Mr. A. Scott, (some information missing here) Mrs. A.M. Creery, Miss D. Thompson, Mr. T. Fripp, Miss J. Beldon, Mrs. Wattie, Mrs. W. Winning, Mrs. A.J. McKenna, Mrs. F. Winlow, Mrs. L. McKiernan, Mr. J. Scott, Mr. Blake Hunt, Mrs. R.G. Harvey, Mrs. J. Anderson, Miss T. Adamson, Mrs. S. Frame, Mr. C.H. Rawson, Mrs. D. McLellan, Mr. O. Maisonville, Dr. G. Gladwin, Mr. Harry Cowper.



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