Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-10-13
AMBROSE PATTERSON'S SECOND
EXHIBITION is TRIBUTE TO
HIS ABILITY WITH BRUSH
Artists Eye for Color and Ability to Seize Upon Essentials in
Composition Proved in Dispay-Many CanysSeS, Oil and
Pastel Show Industry and Skill

Hawaii seen through the eyes of a
rainter who revels in color, movement,
crowds and types, is on display this
week and next at the studio of AM
brose Patterson, in Honolulu's new
habitation of artists, the old Allen
premises between Alakea and Rich
ards streets, north of King.
And not only is the Hawaii of color
and type here shown on canvas, bat
the Hawaii of magic landscapes which
charm the eye and fascinate the
senses the Hawaii of still, dawn
gray mornings along the beaches, OF
cloud-wrapped SUBMITS, of twilight
yistas. Oil and pastel are the media
used upon such varying subjects that
at first casual glance every method OF
treatment in each appears to differ
from the other, and yet a closer study
reveals the same hand, the same con-
ceptfon.
This is Mr.. Pattersons second eX-
hibition since his arrival less than a
year ago from Australia 1t was the
criticism in these columns concerning
the first that some of his canvases APP
peared to need more deliberate study
and workmanship. No such criticism
can be passed upon the present dis
play; md since from the first his
painting has Deen marked by much
warmth of appreciation for local color,
and by no inconsiderable skill in seiz-
ing upon the essentials in composition.
the pictures now shown represent a
90
the first Not that he could not at
that time do so well, but that since
then ne has had more time to COM
mune with his subjects in varying
moods, to search out their secrets, and
to get more solid painting into his pic
torial themes. - e.. =
An artist of rather unusual industry,
he has covered a vast amount OF
ground. virtually all close-to Honolulu,
to secure the result shown at. his stu
do. Much of the canvases are frank
ly impressionisCic, one or two border
ing on the futurist, but not the ultra
bizarre type which is the despair
of many critics and the laughter OF
laymen. .: .=~. 80: ~
Among the CanVases
Mentioning separate canyases IN
this showing of AZ, ii is difficult to do
Justice TO the Impression OF general
excellence one gets in glancing around
the welI-filled walls of his studio, but
some of his typical paintings may be
very briefly referred to. -. II
.Aala Lane" is a bit of everyday
Honolulu, with its vivid, puising lie,
color and gaiety-yes, and with us
hot, sun-baked. dusty street and odor-
full atmosphere of Chinatown" -.
-, Hula Impromptu," scene in a
great, high-ceilinged room OF a coun-
try home, dimly-lit by smoky lamps
with a conglomerate mass of haole
guests and Hawaiians around the dark
zone and in the lighted center a fat
Hawaiian woman swaying to the
strains of hula muse This is not the
accepted version of hula performer
and her audience, but ii. is exactly
what ii representa- hula got up I'M
promptu in the spirit of froIic. .:~. p:
Fantasy" is one of the most strik-
ing of his offerings. 1t is a portrait
conception of Miss Edith Williams in
futurist costume, and In his treatment
the artist has carried the fantasy note
to the picture-frame iself, with a
strange, bewiIdering mingling OF fact
and fancy, both in design and color.
The Lantern Festival, 1916" was
on view in the first exhibition and the
favorable comment upon it then may