St. Ives
Edith Collier, Artist
This is one of the
watercolours
in our collection.
It was made in
St. Ives, Cornwall, England, Great Britain
in circa 1920.
See full details
Object Detail
About the Work
By
the
time
Edith
Collier
arrived
in
St
Ives,
Cornwall
in
July
or
August
of
1920,
she
had
been
in
England
for
7
years.
Between
1913
–
15
Edith
studied
at
the
St
Johns
School
of
Art
in
London,
receiving
a
sound
but
conservative
and
largely
academic
art
education,
that
would
have
stood
her
in
good
stead
to
perhaps
have
a
career
as
an
art
teacher
when
she
returned
to
her
home
town
of
Wanganui.
This
was
what
her
family
expected
of
her
-
to
return
after
her
sojourn
abroad
to
settle
down,
wordly
but
obliging.
However
Edith
stayed
on
in
England
after
art
school
to
soak
up
the
new
waves
of
modernism
that
were
beginning
to
emerge.
It
was
her
time
spent
with
the
Australian
artist
Margaret
Macpherson
in
Bonmahon,
Ireland
and
New
Zealander
–
Frances
Hodgkins
in
St
Ives
that
proved
to
be
the
most
fruitful
and
productive
periods
of
her
career.
It is likely that the Women’s International Art Club (WIAC) in London was where Edith Collier and Frances Hodgkins met and it was during this time that Edith arranged to visit Hodgkins’s summer school at St Ives. Joanne Drayton writes “The fishing village of St Ives offered a rich history as a gathering place for artists but also a great variety of subject matter and motifs. Edith lived and worked closely with members of the Hodgkins class, finding most of her subject-matter among the inhabitants, the fishing boats and wharves, and the narrow streets of the village…Although aware of possible prejudice against her modern work at home, Edith maintained her sense of adventure and commitment to exploring the boundaries of modern art. Frances Hodgkins wrote of her progress in October 1920:
I have one very bright N.Zealander, from Wanganui, Collier by name – who is coming on wonderfully – I’ll make something of her I feel sure…”
As can be seen from this exhibition Edith produced a large body of work over the two to three months she spent in St Ives, working primarily in watercolour and gouache as well as sketching in pencil and charcoal. Prior to arriving in St Ives, Edith had studied with Margaret Macpherson and seen the work of Matisse and other modern painters. This coupled with the encouragement from Hodgkins led to this period being the most productive time of her career, with the responses to her subject matter being more spontaneous and experimental. Composition is flattened and her palette became simplified and the use of colour more daring.
It is refreshing to see these works enmasse, as they are reflective of Edith’s practice flourishing. Despite wanting to travel abroad with Hodgkins to France, Edith’s family refused to financially support her time abroad and Edith returned to New Zealand at the beginning of 1922.
(Introductory text, 'Edith Collier at St Ives', Greg Donson, 2008)
It is likely that the Women’s International Art Club (WIAC) in London was where Edith Collier and Frances Hodgkins met and it was during this time that Edith arranged to visit Hodgkins’s summer school at St Ives. Joanne Drayton writes “The fishing village of St Ives offered a rich history as a gathering place for artists but also a great variety of subject matter and motifs. Edith lived and worked closely with members of the Hodgkins class, finding most of her subject-matter among the inhabitants, the fishing boats and wharves, and the narrow streets of the village…Although aware of possible prejudice against her modern work at home, Edith maintained her sense of adventure and commitment to exploring the boundaries of modern art. Frances Hodgkins wrote of her progress in October 1920:
I have one very bright N.Zealander, from Wanganui, Collier by name – who is coming on wonderfully – I’ll make something of her I feel sure…”
As can be seen from this exhibition Edith produced a large body of work over the two to three months she spent in St Ives, working primarily in watercolour and gouache as well as sketching in pencil and charcoal. Prior to arriving in St Ives, Edith had studied with Margaret Macpherson and seen the work of Matisse and other modern painters. This coupled with the encouragement from Hodgkins led to this period being the most productive time of her career, with the responses to her subject matter being more spontaneous and experimental. Composition is flattened and her palette became simplified and the use of colour more daring.
It is refreshing to see these works enmasse, as they are reflective of Edith’s practice flourishing. Despite wanting to travel abroad with Hodgkins to France, Edith’s family refused to financially support her time abroad and Edith returned to New Zealand at the beginning of 1922.
(Introductory text, 'Edith Collier at St Ives', Greg Donson, 2008)
Measurements
Image 296 x 346mm
Media
watercolour on paper
Subject Place
Description
Watercolour on paper painting showing figures outside some buildings, standing on slope of the boat ramps at St Ives. Three chains are show extending down the boat ramp. A green building is behind the figures.
Credit Line
Collection of the Edith Collier Trust, in the permanent care of the Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui
Collection Type
Loans
Collection
Acquisition Date
Circa 1984
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Accession Number:
2/35