Portrait exhibition promises clever quirks

Artist Lindsay Marsh with her portraits of James K Baxter, Colin McCahon and Denis Glover. Photo Stuart Munro

Fine Arts Whanganui has welcomed new member Lindsay Marsh to its collective and she will hold her first exhibition at the Taupo Quay gallery next month.

The artist completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts UCOL Whanganui in 2009 majoring in print.

The works in her Gone but Not Forgotten exhibition are posthumous portraits of famous New Zealanders rendered in charcoal and each one has a symbol that represents their work.

One of the subjects is Maud Basham, better known as radio personality Aunt Daisy who shared recipes, handy hints and homespun advice to listeners for over 30 years until 1963.

The popular broadcaster caused mirth when she announced on air one morning that the sun was shining up her "back passage."

Marsh's Aunt Daisy portrait includes solar rays emanating from behind her as she sits at her radio desk.

"Only people of a certain age will get that one," says the artist.

"Each one of the portraits has something that made the subject unique."

Writer Katherine Mansfield's portrait has an earring in the shape of Aotearoa.

Although Mansfield achieved renown for her work while living in England and France, her short stories were set in her country of birth.

"I added that touch to show her ongoing connection to New Zealand," says Marsh.

Other subjects included in the exhibition are writers Janet Frame, James K Baxter and Dennis Glover as well as artists Ralph Hotere and Colin McCahon.

Fine Arts Whanganui member Gail Imhoff said the group, which now has 11 members, was delighted to welcome Marsh.

Graham Hall will open Gone But Not Forgotten on Friday, June 30, at 5.30pm.

Pauline Allomes' Truth exhibition is currently showing at the gallery alongside work by other Whanganui Fine Arts members.