‘Quickness of the artist’s hand’

THE MUDGE MURALS: Among the selected preliminary works in the exhibition is a drawing for the Eastland Triathlon and Multi Sport Club mural. The coyly smiling, slightly knock-kneed figure at the centre of the sketch is based on the Roman deity at the heart of Sandro Botticelli's 15th century painting, The Birth of Venus. Picture supplied

The opening tomorrow night of an exhibition of the late Graeme Mudge's preliminary sketches and design proposals for his large-scale works coincides with the launch of Mark Peters' book, The Mudge Murals.

Mudge's rarely-seen preparatory pen and watercolour drawings, pencil sketches, and even a montage of paper cut-outs, reveal the quickness of the artist's hand, says Peters.

“There's an immediacy, a vividness in the drawings. That energy carries over into the murals, but to see Graeme's sketches is a more personal experience. It's like looking over his shoulder as he draws.”

Among the selected preliminary works is a drawing for the Eastland Triathlon and Multi Sport Club mural. The coyly smiling, slightly knock-kneed figure at the centre of the sketch is based on the Roman deity at the heart of Sandro Botticelli's 15th century painting, The Birth of Venus.

By the time the Gisborne goddess moves from sketch to mural, she has undergone a subtle metamorphosis, says Peters.

“But you'll need to see the exhibition to see how.”

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