DOI Artikel:
Wood, T. Martin: The water colours of T. L. Shoosmith
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20710#0248
T. L. Skoosmitk's fVater-colours
Looking for what is characteristic
of Mr. Shoosmith's work, one is re-
warded by his pleasant juxtaposition
of bright colour, and of grey, and
by the restraint of his execution. His
is an art intensely synthetic, reducing
his large vision and quick apprecia-
tion into a simple method, though
arrived at only through much thought.
Still young in years and training, Mr.
Shoosmith's art seems older than himself;
it might be feared lest he has found
himself too quickly, for his hand exhibits
mastery the only explanation of which
is that his mind has travelled a long
way to give it the apparent ease his
works display. It is clear that the art
of the old water colourists, almost
every kind of water-colour painting, has
been studied by him. His own formula
seems constructed from this study, for
otherwise he is entirely self-instructed ;
his chief business would now seem that
of fitting his view of nature into the ap-
preciation of technique he has arrived at.
Such is his easy cleverness that there
is a suggestion of sleight-of-hand, almost
of artificiality, in some of his drawings;
but the qualities that make them so
promising are their originality, modified
"RUE DE5 TFiriS, AMIKNS" i A <- u' u'l'» i .f 1
FROM THE WATER-COLOUR RV T. L. SHOOSMITH ^ PreCedent> hlS ablllty t0 thlnk »"
paint—to make his view of things one
with his expression of them—and his
public, there is always the study of how much faculty of synthetic selection. Since Mr. Shoo-
he cares about the qualities of water-colour for smith has done one kind of thing so well, it
its own sake, for the sake of those accidental would be interesting to see what fresh harmonies a
charms and its expressiveness. fresh field would bring from his palette, what secrets
Mr. Shoosmith has wished to comprise so much a complete change of subject would hold for his
on his paper, he has wished to give such a crowded inquisitive vision. The sense of the possibilities
impression of the colour and form brought together in his fresh, spontaneous art is at present one of
by the accident of men's business and a natural its most delightful characteristics, for the ability
scene—sombre-coloured sails against old houses of that has brought it such a long way, disciplined
faded red and grey that stand on the quay, and the only by self-training, should hold in the future
traffic in old streets—that in attempting to give pleasurable surprises for us.
permanency of vision in art to momentary impres- In the groups of figures clustered at street
sions he has had to formularise. Maintaining a corners in his pictures there is movement—the
certain quality of paint throughout, he has seen buying and selling in the market-place is a real
his subject through his paint, translating life into thing, not a trace of artificiality of pose is in the
water-colour and trying to keep the spirit of the small figures. He displays a distinct gift in depict-
medium throughout. Though there can never be a ing life within his streets; just here and there
perfect work of art, no man being complete enough perhaps limited practice from the figure prevents
in himself to produce it, criticism often seems to him realising quite sufficiently for his purpose the
pretend that there can, and forgets the qualities an suggestion of form, but the "incident" which he
artist has whilst blaming him for those he has not. brings into his paintings shows the most careful
23 r
Looking for what is characteristic
of Mr. Shoosmith's work, one is re-
warded by his pleasant juxtaposition
of bright colour, and of grey, and
by the restraint of his execution. His
is an art intensely synthetic, reducing
his large vision and quick apprecia-
tion into a simple method, though
arrived at only through much thought.
Still young in years and training, Mr.
Shoosmith's art seems older than himself;
it might be feared lest he has found
himself too quickly, for his hand exhibits
mastery the only explanation of which
is that his mind has travelled a long
way to give it the apparent ease his
works display. It is clear that the art
of the old water colourists, almost
every kind of water-colour painting, has
been studied by him. His own formula
seems constructed from this study, for
otherwise he is entirely self-instructed ;
his chief business would now seem that
of fitting his view of nature into the ap-
preciation of technique he has arrived at.
Such is his easy cleverness that there
is a suggestion of sleight-of-hand, almost
of artificiality, in some of his drawings;
but the qualities that make them so
promising are their originality, modified
"RUE DE5 TFiriS, AMIKNS" i A <- u' u'l'» i .f 1
FROM THE WATER-COLOUR RV T. L. SHOOSMITH ^ PreCedent> hlS ablllty t0 thlnk »"
paint—to make his view of things one
with his expression of them—and his
public, there is always the study of how much faculty of synthetic selection. Since Mr. Shoo-
he cares about the qualities of water-colour for smith has done one kind of thing so well, it
its own sake, for the sake of those accidental would be interesting to see what fresh harmonies a
charms and its expressiveness. fresh field would bring from his palette, what secrets
Mr. Shoosmith has wished to comprise so much a complete change of subject would hold for his
on his paper, he has wished to give such a crowded inquisitive vision. The sense of the possibilities
impression of the colour and form brought together in his fresh, spontaneous art is at present one of
by the accident of men's business and a natural its most delightful characteristics, for the ability
scene—sombre-coloured sails against old houses of that has brought it such a long way, disciplined
faded red and grey that stand on the quay, and the only by self-training, should hold in the future
traffic in old streets—that in attempting to give pleasurable surprises for us.
permanency of vision in art to momentary impres- In the groups of figures clustered at street
sions he has had to formularise. Maintaining a corners in his pictures there is movement—the
certain quality of paint throughout, he has seen buying and selling in the market-place is a real
his subject through his paint, translating life into thing, not a trace of artificiality of pose is in the
water-colour and trying to keep the spirit of the small figures. He displays a distinct gift in depict-
medium throughout. Though there can never be a ing life within his streets; just here and there
perfect work of art, no man being complete enough perhaps limited practice from the figure prevents
in himself to produce it, criticism often seems to him realising quite sufficiently for his purpose the
pretend that there can, and forgets the qualities an suggestion of form, but the "incident" which he
artist has whilst blaming him for those he has not. brings into his paintings shows the most careful
23 r