Waterfall, Cumbriaby James Fletcher-Watson

32cm x 38 cm

This image was printed on the front cover of the

Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour in 2004, the

year James died.

105 123

WATERCOLOURNEW ZEALAND Inc.

Newsletter 180 June – August 2020In this issue:

Watercolouring at 50kphThe Pure Watercolour Society Watercolour in LockdownA Frisky Business

Masking over parts of a wash before a second wash

Pulling frisk out from a puddle to create grasses

Using a skewer to point a puddle into corners

www.watercolournewzealand.nz Page 3Page 2 Watercolour New Zealand Inc.

From the Committee

THE WATERCOLOUR NEW ZEALAND AGM was held in March. We are pleased to report that committee member Hannah Martis was elected as President and Caroline Hulse as the new Secretary, so we have new, younger faces at the helm. Our committee team now comprises a healthy mix of experienced folk like Alfred Memelink, Phil Dickson and Vivian Manthel-French, along with newer faces like Rod Weston and Charlotte Hird. Two Zoom meetings were a learning curve for us and while they were successful, we look forward to gathering again to plan the future.When the world changed and we were asked to bide our time at home while the Covid-19 devil was reined in, many people found painting was a mind-absorbing peaceful activity in the lovely weather and new silence. Charlotte Hird took responsibility for running the Watercolour Challenge and changed the rules to fit the situation: a 3X3 Challenge ran successfully during April. A report and paintings are on page 14.The five workshops advertised in the March newsletter were put on hold. We await clarity from the venue, the Karori Arts Centre, on how workshops will operate and what replacement dates are available. We’ll inform all those who have booked or expressed an interest as soon as possible by email.The Methven Paintaway, scheduled for early May was not cancelled – just postponed. We plan to hold it at the same place, same time in 2021. Why delay a full year? Because May is the month for great scenery and accommodation is available before the ski season opens. We wish you happy winter painting.

Committee, Watercolour New Zealand Inc.

Sandra Barlow, TaupiriSusan Dey, Petone

Candy Summer, WellingtonPauline Hailwood, Levin

Shona Smellie, WellingtonChris Parsons, AucklandDenise White, Hamilton

Rod Bently-Bishop, WellingtonSharon Bull, Ashburton

Helen Peterwood-Roberts, Paraparaumu Susan Meares, West Melton

Diane Bornholdt, Lower HuttAlan Brennan, Waitaki

Christine Possenniskie, PetoneDaisey Bingham, Wellington

Sophie Foster, AucklandAnna Guild, Christchurch

Jie Yi Liang, HamiltonMelanie Ewing, Wanaka

Chloe Henderson, Palmerston NorthKeith Knarston, Auckland

Dot Anson, RotoruaGemma Reddell, Auckland

Welcome to our new members

We welcome new membersAnnual subscription: Member: $40 Couple: $50 Student (enrolled): $15

Membership includes our quarterly newsletter, workshops, social activities, exhibition, discounts at art stores.

To join please go to www.watercolournewzealand.nz – Membership page. Complete the online form. Alternatively, post your cheque with name, address, phone numbers and email on the reverse side to: Membership, Watercolour New Zealand, PO Box 33088, Petone, Lower Hutt 5046.

Watercolour New Zealand Bank Account: 01-0607-0026637-00

To be listed in the Artist Directory on our website: go to www.watercolournewzealand.nz – Membership – Join Directory – select a profile type. Set-up cost is $10, $25 or $50. Then contact the Treasurer (above).

Your newsletter contribution is welcomeThis newsletter aims to inform and encourage members by including articles on all facets of the art of watercolour. Your contributions and suggestions will be welcomed.

Please email the editor – see above.

President: Hannah Martis Vice President: pending appointment Newsletter Editor: Sue Wild info@watercolournewzealand.nz Treasurer: Jill Hartstonge jillhartstonge@xtra.co.nz 04 5676938

National society for watercolour artists

Tutorial

A Frisky Businessby Alfred MemelinkMasking liquid is also known as Resist or Frisk. “Frisk” is the shortest word and as it’s fast approaching beer-o’clock; let’s use it in this article.

How many readers have wrecked expensive brushes using frisk? How many have applied the frisk, washed paint on and realised the masking had not been done properly? Here I’m sharing a few tips that I’ve learned by trial and error + my school of hard knocks over the years.

Protecting the brushHave you noticed that some brush fibres are SOOO attracted to frisk? It seems that the more expensive brushes, i.e. sable, find the fluid most appealing, and won’t re-lease the bond created. One way to help reduce the bond is to coat the brush hairs with a little soap. I prepare a container of slightly watered-down dish liquid. Twirling your brush in this liquid coats each hair nicely with a thin protective layer before you’re ready to go.

Getting ready to paintTools

• Use a cheap brush, but one that holds a point well and is a suitable size for the areas you want to mask

• Have one or two meat skewers ready

• Prep an ice-cream-sized container as your brush-rinsing bowl

• Milk bottle top: rather than dipping the brush into the frisk pot each time, I pour a little frisk into a milk bottle top, then put the top back on the bottle of frisk. Much more convenient and helps keep the frisk in good condition longer.

• Use a rubber brush if you like them - whatever they are called?

Applying the masking fluidOpen the frisk bottle and check the condition of the fluid. If it smells, screw up your nose and throw it out. If there is a congealed layer on top of the liquid, peel it off with a brush handle or skewer and throw it out. Shake the frisk bottle well before starting.

As soon as you see that the frisk on the brush is is starting to congeal, STOP, rinse the brush and reapply the protective dish liquid.

If you have some tight corners that you wish to cover with fluid, drop a puddle of frisk near the corner and use a skewer to push the outer edges of the fluid into the corners or edges.

Using a dryer on a painting that has frisk is not recommended. The heat can encour-age the frisk to increase the bond between frisk and paper.

When you’re doneClean your brush in soapy water.

Salvaging a congealed brush: Ask your brother to siphon a little petrol from a car. Frisk HATES petrol and wants to release its bond to the brush when it comes near it.

Painting over the frisked areasBe sure that ALL masked areas are completely dry before starting to paint. Dried frisk is a yellowy colour, so if there are areas of milky white, the frisk is still wet. If you start painting and there is a tiny area of still-damp frisk, the brush will pick up the masking fluid, ruin the bristles and spread paint across the area that you had planned to keep white.

Be aware that the thicker the paint you apply around the masked areas, the harder it will be to remove the frisk once the paint has dried. Watercolour washes work best with frisk.

You might wish to apply a watercolour wash, let it dry completely, then mask an area of it before applying the next wash.

Removing the frisk I use a gentle side-to-side rubbing motion with my index finger. If your finger picks up some paint, STOP, clean and dry your finger before you carry on rubbing, OR you will end up with a messed-up white space.

Have fun! I hope these shared tips make you a little less afraid of using the magic of masking fluid.

Alfred

Hannah is a keen watercolour painter with a preference for plein air (look out for her at the Wellington monthly outdoor painting group), an efficient organiser, and an industrious member of the Splash team. She has been on the committee for three years and was this year voted in as President. Working with a strong committee she is confidently looking to the next chapter in the Watercolour New Zealand story.

Welcome and congratulations, Hannah.

Introducing our new President, Hannah Martis

Gum Trees, Australia by James Fletcher-Watson.

Painted on James’s trip to Australia in 1989 to Robert and Anne Wade

Burford, Cotswolds by James Fletcher-Watson

Jo Neil

Flowers by Sylvia Meek

Making Magic, Taming Dragons by Rebecca Dowman-Ngapo

www.watercolournewzealand.nz Page 5Page 4 Watercolour New Zealand Inc.

There is a moment when a loaded paintbrush first touches a dampened sheet of white paper... that every watercolour artist knows well. And none more so than James Fletcher-Watson, founder of the Pure Watercolour Society. He made watercolour his life-long passion and believed in traditional methods, using pure, transparent washes.

Today the Pure Watercolour Society is a thriving and much-loved organisation with the Fletcher-Watson family at its heart, supported by a worldwide community of professional and student artists and friends.

His great friend, Australian artist Robert Wade, says “James Fletcher-Watson, or ‘Gentleman Jim’ as I often called him, personified the gentle art of watercolour. A traditionalist to the core, he painted in the manner that he loved, never bending to fashion, or trends for smart techniques. He did it with an enormous love and respect for the medium which brought so much joy to his followers.”

We look at James Fletcher-Watson’s life, his inspiration and practice…and meet some of the people who continue his great passion and vision.

James Fletcher-Watson RI, RBA 1913–2004James was born into a family with a strong watercolour heritage.

His mother was a watercolour artist. His grandfather, Pilfold Fletcher-Watson, was an architect and professional watercolourist who emigrated to Australia in 1883 where he founded the Australian Academy of Art. Pilfold returned to England in 1893 and his Australian watercolours are still con-sidered to be of great historic interest.

James showed an early aptitude for art and went on to train as an architect after leaving school. He joined his uncle’s architectural practice in Norfolk, where he lived with his first wife and children, Michael and Vanessa. He continued to paint, influenced by the Norwich School of painters, in particular Cotman, Crome and Middleton, as well as the Early Masters, Girtin, Turner, Cox and De Wint.

The Second World War saw James posted to India. He travelled through India and Burma with the Royal Engineers, sketching and painting wherever he went; his sketches from that time

were published in Soldier Artist in Wartime India.

After the war, James returned to England to set up an architectural practice in Norfolk, where he was well known for his bold and imaginative designs. During this time his reputation as an artist was growing and in 1952, he was elected to the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour (along with his friend Edward Wesson), and in 1957 to the Royal Society of British artists.

James successfully combined both his architectural and art careers for many years, having moved to the Cotswolds in the late 1960’s with his second wife Gill and their children Josephine and Charles.

It was in the Cotswolds that the Windrush Gallery was established and James began his teaching career, thanks to the persuasion of his friend Edward Wesson. By all accounts James was a generous teacher and never spoke of his pupils but rather of his ‘painting friends.’

In his later years, James founded the Pure Watercolour Society, to ensure his vision progressed, long after his own lifetime.

“The great masters showed us the way and it is right that we should follow in their footsteps, not copying but receiving inspiration from them. My aim is to carry on the torch, encouraging today’s painters to express the beauty of the landscape simply and effectively” he said.

James continued to sketch and paint until the last days of his life and died peacefully in 2004.

Pure Watercolour Society and Windrush Art Courses

After James’s death, David Curtis ROI, VPRSMA became Patron of the PWS, gathering a support group of respected artists including David Howell PPRSMA, Trevor Chamberlain RSMA, and Robert Wade AWS , as well as James’s loyal former pupils and admirers, Andrew Hucklesby, Peter Cronin, Winston Oh, Ian Piper, Paul Weaver and Steve Hall.

Central to the Society’s existence, however, was Jo Neil, James’s younger daughter, who stepped up to continue her father’s vision.

The Pure Watercolour Societyby Alison Hehir

A Tribute to Sylvia Meekby Vivian Manthel-French

A treasured member of Watercolour New Zealand, Sylvia Meek, died in April.

A membership spanning 35 years of consistent exhibit-ing with Watercolour New Zealand.

Her work is an expression of herself. Unique, vivid and full of freedom and joy. It won her the Watercolour New Zealand Art Award 2007.

Originally from Ohakune, she settled in Lower Hutt with her family. She had a passion for art so she joined the Hutt Art Society where she found companionship and encouragement. Watercolour became her chosen medium so she applied with her paintings and was elected to become an artist member of the Wellington Society of Watercolour Artists. With like-minded artists she was a driving force towards creative and innovative watercolours, and for seven years she and her husband served on the committee. She loved people and particularly enjoyed the Wairarapa painting weekends, a forerunner of our painting safaris and paintaways.

Sylvia brought a great deal to our society. She and her vibrant paintings will be remembered and missed.

You can read an interview with Sylvia in the Artist Directory on the Watercolour New Zealand website.

A Watercolour Accepted for theAdam Portraiture Award Exhibition 2020

Congratulations to Rebecca Dowman-NgapoFor the first time in years a watercolour was accepted for the Adam Portraiture Award Exhibition at the New Zealand Por-trait Gallery, Wellington.

Rebecca: “My friend, Hazel Wheeler: fearless, magical, Hazel-made. She pursues her ideas and dreams, constantly creating and evolving. I often see her like this, working on her ‘Dragon,’ as she calls her sewing machine. I mixed my typically more de-tailed style with bolder, inexact strokes and bleeds. I decided Hazel would not be separated from the viewer by glass, so I used a special protective glaze.

I was very honoured to be painter of the only watercolour to be exhibited this year in the Adam Portraiture Award Exhibi-tion.”

Rebecca Dowman-Ngapo is a Waikato artist specialising in wa-tercolour. Primarily self-taught, Rebecca’s work is indicative of contemporary New Zealand culture, reflecting aspects of daily life with a child; drawing inspiration from local people and places visited, family narratives and moments in time. Rebecca exhibits regularly in the Waikato area. She won the People’s Choice Award for both 2018 and 2019 in the Gordon Harris Online Watercolour Competition, organised by Watercolour New Zealand.

In the Realm of Chickens by Julian Braywinner of the first James Fletcher Watson RI award

at the annual RI exhibition 2017

After a PWS paint-out at Little Barrington. Left to right:

Paul Weaver, Tony Taylor, David Curtis, Jo Neil, Ian Piper, Peter Cronin

Windrush House in the Windrush Valley, Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

A class in progress at Windrush House, down by the Mill, with tutor Paul Weaver

James Fletcher-Watson in his studio at Windrush House. “The more I paint the more I find I am learning and discovering new ways

to do things. That is why I find watercolour so exciting to use.”www.watercolournewzealand.nz Page 7Page 6 Watercolour New Zealand Inc.

It was a daunting prospect taking over Windrush House, but with encouragement from her husband Charlie, her mother Gill, and members of the PWS, the gallery was restored and the first exhibition was held in 2008.

Jo and Charlie maintain the Grade II listed Georgian house that acts not only as a family home but as home to the society and art courses that have developed over the last ten years. Windrush is a secluded village, set amongst gentle hillsides and clusters of farm buildings under Cotswold skies, making it an inspiring place for visiting art students.

Each year Jo releases the much anticipated annual programme of workshops, tutored by a popular and talented stable of artists. Places are snapped up quickly by people from all over the world.

The workshop emphasis is on demonstrations followed by painting outside. Lunch is always a highlight as students gather in the family dining room, around a table bursting with Jo and Charlie’s home cooking.

James’s studio is left much as it was during his life, with books, paints and paper lay spread beneath large windows, flooded with light from the garden and fields beyond.

Windrush tutor Peter Cronin describes teaching and painting in pure watercolour like this: “At Windrush we strive to keep the craft of pure watercolour alive and promote the utter joy of the medium. To paint in watercolour is a lifetime’s journey and Windrush has become a mecca to enthusiasts everywhere.”

“My motivation to teach pure watercolour is simple, I bloody love it. I have tried other media and they all have their qualities but the excitement, flow and look of pure watercolour can’t be sur-passed for me.

“I see two main pitfalls amongst the students on all my courses and I suspect it’s the same the world over. The first, is poor drawing which leaves you very vulnerable in transparent watercolour, as well as hindering your ability to compose well. The second is painting too dry or slowly, which amounts to the same thing in the end.”

David Curtis echoes this sentiment. He believes that good tuition is key to developing skill in watercolour:

“The instinctive desire to draw and paint is inherent in all of us at an early age, but must be nurtured by inspirational tuition and encouragement. “

Last year, Peter Cronin travelled to New Zealand.

“New Zealand is an artist’s paradise! We did three thousand miles in three weeks and loved every bit of it”, he says.

“Since then, the pandemic has changed everything. My income has hit the floor with both teaching and gallery sales severely curtailed. It has a positive side however, in that I am able to build my online teaching / selling presence. I am also loving the quieter, slower, more nature-centred feeling that lockdown has engendered.”

In the meantime, Jo says that courses at Windrush are on hold but will resume as soon as possible.

“The art community is responding to the current crisis in a creative and collective way and like everyone, we are looking forward to the time when we can paint together again.”

The James Fletcher Watson Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours AwardThe prize is awarded annually by James’s daughter Vanessa Whinney, art historian, artist and active member of the High-gate Watercolour Group.

Of the win, Julian Bray wrote to Vanessa: “I enjoy your obser-vations about my painting having all of the paint handling qualities your father would have admired.”

On judging the award, Vanessa says: “I am always conscious that as it’s an award in Dad’s name, it should be something he would be comfortable with, and top of the list is PURE! I also feel we need to encourage artists, particularly younger ones starting out, that using the medium can work brilliantly for pictures with a modern twist.”

Subsequent winners of the award are 2018 Martin Caulkin RI, 2019 Geoffrey Wynne RI and 2020 David Howell VPRSMA.

With special thanks to Jo Neil, Vanessa Whinney, David Curtis, Peter Cronin, Robert Wade and Julian Bray.

Referenceswww.thepurewatercoloursociety.co.ukwww.windrushartcourses.co.uk“Watercolours - The Story Continues” The Magic of Watercolour by James Fletcher-Watson (out of print)Artist Magazine article, November 2019

James Fletcher-Watson– his materials and techniques –

Brushes1,3,5,7 and 10 brushes. Sable or synthetic. No 8 squirrel mop brush for painting skies or trees.

PaintsLimited palette to 12 colours, using about 8 for most paintings. With fewer colours “you can understand how they mix to find the right colour and tone quickly and easily.“

Cadmium lemon Cadmium yellow Raw Sienna Burnt Sienna Burnt umber Light red Indian red Rose Madder Cobalt blue French Ultramarine Winsor blue Payne’s grey plus Cerulean blue and Raw Umber occasionally.

Penknife…for sharpening pencils, scratching out tree branches on a dark background and grasses in the foreground.

Sketchbook Quick pencil drawings in small sketchbooks for drawing, perspective and shapes of objects, which help determine good composition. “Eventually you will find that you can paint a picture back in the studio from the pencil sketch weeks or years after it was done.“

And a final note from Jo Neil: “Dad didn’t have a problem with using body colour or a bit of white gouache, but he was most attracted to the light and transparent quality of the medium.”

West Coast Lagoon by Adrienne Pavelka

Tide Line by Richard Bolton

Rhododendron by Svetlana Orinko

Giselle by Dianne Taylor

From the Heart by Jacky Pearson

www.watercolournewzealand.nz Page 9Page 8 Watercolour New Zealand Inc.

WATERCOLOURS WA COMMITTEE MEMBERS achieved a unique milestone, when they organised an international exhibition consisting of 170 paintings by acclaimed artists: 70 paintings from Watercolour Society of WA, and 100 from International and Australian societies.

An exhibition of selected artworks in a variety of styles and themes opened on 13th March in the Moores Building, Fremantle, Western Australia. International watercolour artists from across 18 different countries included New Zealand artists Richard Bolton, Svetlana Orinko, Adrienne Pavelka, Jacky Pearson and Dianne Taylor.

Events were planned to run from Opening Night Friday13th March to 13th April. A Plein Air competition was held on Saturday 14th. After registering, artists were free to wander Fremantle and capture the historic and engaging sights. Paintings were judged later that day. Delighted artists received generous prizes and all paintings were exhibited in the Moores Building gallery for one week.

Guest artist Joseph Zbukvic demonstrated to small group workshops. It was interesting to note the international flavour of attendees. Artists had travelled from far and wide. As the Covid-19 alarm bells were ringing the seating was spaced and Joseph demonstrated with live video screening. In the following weeks Amit Kapoor (founder of Watercolour Society India) and local artist tutors of note had planned to demonstrate and hold workshops.

Winsor & Newton’s resident artist, Carla Hananiah (originally from Auckland) was proposing to hold two workshops each day for four days. Plus an expanded all-day workshop entitled “Working Plein Air”.

Workshop 1:I attended the first two-hour workshop. We explored specific palettes and processes for working en plein air to best capture “the sense of place in that moment”. We experimented with location-specific colours for coastal and country images.

Workshop 2: We experimented with various mediums. A chance to try those bottles with mysterious names, masking devices and textural mediums. The aim was to explore application processes to

discover “new ways of expressing your creative vision within the medium of watercolour.” The gallery room in the Moores Building was well set out with social distancing in mind. Winsor & Newton provided dot cards and brushes for us all to experiment and discover new combinations. For me, some ideas appealed and worked well, others not so much. A Fabriano satchel contained delightful items e.g. watercolour sticks and paper samples. Carla suggested that the sticks could be extremely useful for plein air adventures, especially in awkward locations.

Then came the declaration.

After taking into consideration the current health warnings and the need for all Australians and international visitors to maintain a safe environment, the International Watercolours Committee closure of the exhibition in the Moores Building would be immediate. The physical exhibition was closed.

An online gallery was set up to view at leisure. Of course the online gallery did not have the same presence of a physical show. But importantly it gave viewers an opportunity to enjoy, consider and perhaps purchase a favourite.

The disappointment of the organising committee can be imagined by us all. Years of hard planning and achieving eighteen countries to commit to sending and exhibiting precious works. The plan was adventurous and daring, and the achievement spectacular. Eighteen countries sent works: Belgium, China, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, New Zealand, Nordic Watercolour Societies (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland, one painting from each), Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Vietnam. Paintings were sent from South Australia, Victoria and Iltja Ntjarra (Many Hands) Art Group from Alice Springs. Our own New Zealand artists sat very comfortably among all present.

Our thoughts and appreciation go to the planning organisers and volunteers who readied a four week watercolour feast. I can confirm I was fortunate to participate in a tantalising four days of all things watercolour.

Tumultuous times have beset the world and I believe we are lucky to have watercolour to engage our hearts and minds.

A Tantalising Four DaysThe Watercolour Society of Western Australia (WSWA)

by Chrissie Menzies

Alan’s paintings. along with the sketches they were based upon

Page 10 Watercolour New Zealand Inc. www.watercolournewzealand.nz

I LOATHE AND WILL NOT DRAW from photographs. Why? Because I am convinced that the perspective between my eyes and the focal length of a camera lens is so different and that my eyes are much more accurate or, the way my eyes view a subject are much less emphasised.

I travelled recently with Sally, her cousin from Devon and her husband Andy (who like me is a Railway enthusiast) via Kaitaki to Picton then Coastal Pacific to Christchurch for an early start on the TranzAlpine. On this occasion, recording the images of those mountains the way my eyes saw them was more exciting than the rumbling DX locomotive accelerating to an incline (almost heaven). My sketch book is spiral bound 10cm X 15cm; I draw with a ‘Bic’ fine black, and I realised you can’t loiter. I need between less than half a minute and two minutes (depending on the complexity) to complete the sketch together with my own shorthand ‘Ultra m’ Ultramarine or ‘Tuss’ Tussock colour, dots = sparkle etc. If there is time before the whole scene changes, bang off a photo as a reminder of the colour, but beware: the windows of the passenger cars are tinted. Less so in the vestibules but if you walk up 2 or 3 cars there is the observation car, open on both sides especially for photographers, those wishing to record a DX in notch 3. I hold my sketch book up at almost eye level so as to save time and accuracy moving the angles of mountains rather than looking up and down. This was added entertainment for those using phones and video cameras. I got 14 of these sketches

during the trip. You must keep up, the train won’t slow down for you. It’s not fair you may think; you have been doing it for 100 years - well almost. You do get slow and frail - but when I am involved in watercolour, I’m 40 again!

Next day it was hire car to Akaroa. Wow! The composition from Summit Road and the colour - pinkish straw colour with summer heat and azure blue water with cruise ships dotted about.

I have a ‘Tracer’ projector that will project 140 x 140 cm, almost the size of my sketch book page. This allows me to project on to my final piece of Arches cold pressed 640 gsm so that I follow the original biro lines very carefully to preserve the spontaneity of the sketch.

Crickey, that was exciting ….. well, it was to me.

Have a ‘GO’- the scene from your house but time yourself, half a minute?

Then photograph it, be honest though, don’t look at the photograph until you have drawn it. Then you will see what I mean.

Just a wise word from most of my idols - “To improve your drawing, keep drawing”.

Now as the youngsters say, “download that into your memory banks”.

GOOD LUCK!

Watercolouring @ 50kphby Alan Collins

Getting ready to sleep in the courtyard on a fine night. Tompkins, Lilian Gladys, 1893-1984. Getting ready to sleep in the courtyard on a fine night. [1942-1944]. Collection. Ref: C-095-015. Alexander Turnbull

Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23201879

Genshagen Camp 1943 Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū,

purchased 1987

Prisoner of War with Mandolin 1943 Archives New Zealand

Houses near POW camp, March 1943 Archives New Zealand

Severely wounded POW’s loading up for repatriation, at Kokinia Hospital, Pireaus, 24 October 1941

(public domain)

Another sleeping out area on fine nights – below hospital – Changi. Tompkins, Lilian Gladys, 1893-1984. Another sleeping out area

on fine nights - below hospital - Changi. [1942?]. Collection. Ref: C-095-012. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /

records/22811419

Women’s quarters inside the crypt of Changi Jailby Gladys Tompkins during capitivity.

New Zealand Electronic Text Collection. Victoria University

Changi Prison entrance, Singapore, with Japanese office under tower. Tompkins, Lilian Gladys, 1893-1984. Changi Prison entrance, Singapore, with

Japanese office under tower. [1942-1944]. Collection. Ref: C-095-025. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22328442

Changi Prison Camp during the Second World War Rae M. Riach. ‘Tompkins, Lilian Gladys’, Dictionary of New Zealand Biog-

raphy, first published in 2000. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5t16/tompkins-lilian-gladys

Gladys Tompkins wearing her nurse’s uniform and registration medal in the late 1920s or 1930s. Alexander Turnbull Library Fiona Thompson

Collection (PAColl-7637)Reference: F-201465-1/2

Page 12 Watercolour New Zealand Inc. Page 13

WHEN COMMEMORATING ANZAC day during lockdown, I found myself thinking about artists for whom watercolour has been a solace during captivity. As a portable and compact kit, a box of pigments might be a treasured possession for an artist during long hours of isolation. I have focused on the World War II experiences of two people: one of our Watercolour New Zealand dignitaries, Austen Deans, and a brave front-line nurse, Gladys Tompkins.

Watercolour in LockdownBy Sue Wild

One of the heroes of New Zealand water-colour, Austen Deans, is best known for his Canterbury high country landscapes. But, in his thirties he portrayed very dif-ferent subjects. As a member of the New Zealand forces in Crete in 1941, he was wounded during an attack on Maleme Airport and was captured by German troops. He was shipped to Greece to re-cuperate in Piraeus. While there, he was provided with pad and pencil by a fellow POW who wanted a portrait sketch to send to his family. Further requests fol-

lowed from POWs, doctors and even guards. Austen raised cash to purchase painting supplies through a friendly Greek hospital worker and began depicting life at the hospital and surrounding landscapes. When he recovered from his wounds, Deans was transferred to a POW camp in Poland. Here he was able to source art materials through the Red Cross and continue drawing scenes of camp life. He managed to have some work shipped back to England. Towards the end of 1943, Deans was transferred again, to Germany and then to Stalag XVIII-A in Austria, where he remained for over a year. As the war in Europe was drawing to a close, conditions in the camp grew harsher. Despite this, Deans still painted and sketched and by early 1945 had accumulated a portfolio of nearly 300 works. When the POWs were ordered to force march towards Germany, he packaged them up for the Red Cross to collect. Unfortunately the collection was never retrieved. While on the march, the guards’ security became lax with the war all but over. Deans and a group of others were able to make contact with Ameri-can forces and make their way back to England.

Austen Deans, POW

Gladys Tompkins was born in Halcombe, a vil-lage in the Manawatu. She trained as a nurse, complementing her skills with maternity and Plunket courses. In 1939 she went with her mother for a holiday in the Malay Peninsula and took a position as a nursing sister in Johor, on the northern fringe of Singapore. When the Japanese began to invade the peninsula, Gladys was moved to the ‘safety’ of Singapore. When Singapore fell to the enemy, Gladys was marched to Changi Prison Camp. There, she and other interned doctors and nurses ran an improvised hospital for prisoners. During the years of hardship, surviving on little more than rotten rice, her weight fell to 45 kgs. But among her precious personal possessions, Gladys had a box of watercolour paints. Painting became a lifeline for her, helping fill bleak days. She hid

her paintings and her diaries from the guards and in her eighties they became the basis for her story “Three Wasted Years: 1942-45”. Her Te Ara biographer describes it thus: “Written in a matter-of-fact style, it gives a portrait of a brave woman, clearly of a practical nature, but always concerned for the welfare of others.” Gladys died in 1984 in Hamilton.

Source: Rae M. Riach. ‘Tompkins, Lilian Gla-dys’, Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 2000. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5t16/tompkins-lilian-gladys

Gladys Tompkins

www.watercolournewzealand.nz Page 15Page 14 Watercolour New Zealand Inc.

The planned workshop schedule had to be put on hold. Classes will be re-scheduled once socialising rules allow and once the venue, Karori Arts Centre, has workshop rules in place. We will give participants new dates at least three weeks prior to each workshop.

Weekend Workshop Class 2020/1 POWER OF TONETutor: Min Kim – Guest artist for Splash 2019 This workshop is full.This workshop was postponed. We hope to run it later in 2020.

WORKSHOPSThe 3X3 Watercolour Challenge 2020

Dates: 27 & 28 June 2020Times: 9:30am–5:00pmVenue: Karori Arts Centre, 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori, Wellington

Weekend Workshop Class 2020/4FOR THE LOVE OF LANDSCAPETutor: Bernadette Parsons This workshop is full.This workshop will be held as planned if rules allow. We will give those registered a“yes” or “no” confirmation three weeks prior.

Student fee: $180

Dates: TBATimes: 9:30am–5:00pmVenue: Karori Arts Centre, 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori, Wellington

Weekend Workshop in association with Karori Arts Centre Class 2020/3PERSPECTIVE APPLIED EN PLEIN AIRTutor: Charlotte HirdThis workshop was postponed. We hope to run it later in 2020. Bookings can still be made as below.

In this workshop you will learn techniques to use 1 point, 2 point and 3 point perspective en plein air. We will spend some time outdoors sketching. Dress warmly and bring a stool. This workshop will appeal to urban sketchers and artists, working in any medium, who are keen to improve their understanding of perspective. Handouts will be provided. The tutor will use camera and projector to demonstrate. In 2018 Charlotte taught architectural drawing at Wuhan University, China.

To book THIS workshop please email info@kacc.org.nz or phone 04 476 6817

Class level: All Student fee: $175

Dates: TBATimes: 9:30am–5:00pmVenue: Karori Arts Centre, 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori, Wellington

Weekend Workshop in association with Karori Arts Centre Class 2020/2HOW TO DRAW BIRDSTutor: Kimbra TaylorThis workshop was postponed. We hope to run it later in 2020. We expect tore-schedule Kimbra’s follow-up workshop, “Capturing Birds in Watercolour” also.

Kimbra will teach you to draw a bird using sighting to support accuracy. She will teach the techniques used by professional artists to achieve proportion and guide you through the process step by step. You will gain an understanding of construction drawing, which can be applied to everything you draw. Kimbra is encouraging and supportive. You will gain the skills to proceed to the workshop on painting birds in watercolour, later in 2020.To book THIS workshop please email info@kacc.org.nz or phone 04 476 6817

Class level: All Student fee: $180 ($95 for first day only –

available only if space permits)

FOR THE 2020 CHALLENGE we reacted to the new life rules imposed in March – the COVID-19 Lockdown. Realising members might enjoy a challenge to occupy at-home hours, Charlotte Hird re-wrote the rules of last year’s Five Day Challenge to suit.

The 2020 Challenge was 3 Paintings each week for 3 weeks (4 – 25 April)

Some found it took time to adjust to lockdown and painting was not a focus, oth-ers found the wonderful weather beckoned for exercise or garden, but 40 artists took up the challenge and posted 172 artworks. Congratulations to Kasia Wiercin-ska who sent 14 paintings. She writes “That was a tough time of stagnation or even regression seen everywhere around. However I’m glad that as artists we could use it to grow and see progress in our art. It really helped me to stay positive.”

Thanks to Charlotte Hird for organising the 3X3 Watercolour Challenge 2020.

WORKSHOPSDetails on page 15.Dates in the next three months will be announced by email.

PAINTAWAYSAutumn Paintaway to MethvenThis gathering has been rescheduled for early May 2021. May is the best month for scenery and accommodation in Methven.November PaintawayWe expect to organise a Paintaway in the North Island when rules allow. We anticipate going to Mount Ruapehu to stay in a ski lodge and paint the spectacular scenery. The timing will need to work around Splash 2020. Details will be notified in the next newsletter.

OUTDOOR PAINTING GROUPS

WELLINGTON GROUP 10:00am. Painting will be followed by coffee/brunch at a nearby café, ideally with outdoor seating. We will follow the Ministry of Health guidelines at the time.

Sunday 21 June Katherine Mansfield Park, Fitzherbert Avenue, Thorndon

Sunday 19 July Bolton Street Cemetery (top end), next to Anderson Park / Lady Norwood Rose Gardens in the Botanical Gardens

Sunday 16 August Shelly Bay Airforce Base, Shelly Bay, Seatoun

KAPITI GROUP There are no organised outings for the Kapiti group this quarter.

OTHER DATES for your Diary

The Gordon HarrisWinter Watercolour Competition 2020

This is our annual competition of digital images of watercolour paintings. We have moved the dates, so that we now have a summer competition and a winter competition. Paintings will be exhibited online at www.watercolournewzealand.nz. Entries can be submitted up to midnight 31 July 2020. A panel of selectors will award four prizes:

Gift Cards for Gordon Harris Stores1st: $200 2nd: $100 3rd: $50 People’s Choice: $50

RULES• Entry is open to current members of Watercolour New Zealand Inc. residing in New Zealand• One entry per member • Open theme• The entry must be the original work of the member; must not be copied from another

person’s painting or photograph• Entries must have been completed within the last 12 months• Entries exhibited in any other public or online exhibition are eligible• Digital images must be of publishable quality; approx. size 500kB.• Entries may be used for promotion of Watercolour New Zealand and/or Gordon Harris Ltd.• Entries close midnight 31 July 2020• The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into

To enter: Make a digital image of the painting only, with no mat or frame.Name the image in this format: “Evening Glow by Casey Hamilton”.Email the image to: charhird@gmail.com Subject line: “WNZ Winter Competition”.

The competition is managed by Watercolour New Zealand.We wish to thank Gordon Harris Ltd for their sponsorship.