Quentin Macfarlane
{{Short description|New Zealand painter (1935–2019)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = Quentin Macfarlane
| birth_name = Quentin Manners Macfarlane
| birth_date = 12 September 1935
| birth_place = Dunedin
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|07|05|1935|09|12|df=y}}
| death_place = Auckland
| education = Diploma of Fine Arts with honours
| alma_mater = School of Fine Arts University of Canterbury
| known_for = Marine landscapes
| style = Abstract
| image = QuentinMacfarlane.jpg
| caption = Macfarlane in his Christchurch studio, 1978
}}
Quentin Manners Macfarlane (12 September 1935 – 5 July 2019) was a New Zealand artist known for his abstract marine paintings.
Early life and art career
Macfarlane was born on 12 September 1935 in Dunedin.{{cite news |title=Birth |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19350914.2.75 |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Evening Star |issue=22134 |date=14 September 1935 |page=16}} His mother, Tui ({{nee|Northey}}), was an artist. He went to school at Hutt Valley High just outside of Wellington where he was taught by James Coe. A fellow student was Bill Culbert who also went on to become a significant artist.{{Cite journal |last=Simpson |first=Peter |date=Summer 2011 |title=Peter Simpson On a Blue Guitar: Reflections on the Art of Quentin Macfarlane |journal=Art New Zealand |issue=140 |page=67}} Macfarlane studied at the School of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury from 1954 to 1957 and graduated with honours in painting in 1958.{{Cite web |title=John Coley and Quentin MacFarlane |url= https://culturalicons.co.nz/52-quentin-macfarlane-john-coley/ |access-date=24 August 2024}} His fellow students included John Coley, Ted Bracey, Pat Hanly, Hamish Keith, Trevor Moffitt, Gil Taverner (Hanly) and Bill Culbert. The teaching staff included Bill Sutton, Russell Clark and Colin Lovell-Smith. After graduating Macfarlane attended the Post-Primary Teachers' Training College in Ardmore and received a diploma of teaching. He went on to teach in a number of secondary schools including Lincoln and Cashmere High Schools.{{Cite news |date=15 April 1964 |title=Looking at Pictures at Lincoln High School |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19640415.2.178 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=18}} From 1959, Macfarlane had become a regular contributor to group shows in Christchurch and Auckland and was selected by Auckland City Art Gallery's director Peter Tomory for a number of touring exhibitions.{{Cite journal |last=Simpson |first=Peter |date=Summer 2019 |title=Quentin Macfarlane (1935–2019) |journal=Art New Zealand |issue=172 |page=39}} In the same year he married Judith Gifford who went on to direct the Brooke Gifford Gallery with Barbara Brooke.{{Cite news |title=Christchurch Gallery Owner Judith Gifford's Life in Fine Art |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/126514508/life-story-christchurch-gallery-owner-judith-giffords-life-in-fine-art |access-date=24 August 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch)}} In 1962, while teaching at Cashmere High School, Macfarlane organised an exhibition at the school of twelve works by Colin McCahon selected from the collections of his friends. This exhibition was in response to the uproar{{Cite news |date=23 February 1961 |title=Prize-Winning Paintings Rejected By City Council |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19610223.2.109 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=14}} that had followed McCahon being announced joint winner of the Hay's Limited Art Competition. McCahon later referred to the Macfarlane-curated show as "my first retrospective". In his own painting practice Macfarlane was an early adopter of acrylic paint. Although in use for house painting in the mid-1950s, the first use of them by an artist recorded in New Zealand was in works by Macfarlane. The catalogue for the exhibition Contemporary New Zealand Painting and Sculpture 1962 noted the medium of Macfarlane's three paintings as p.v.a.. Macfarlane continued to be an ardent supporter of the medium and years later continued to hand out extracts copied from Lawrence Jensen's book Synthetic Painting Media published by Prentice Hall in 1964.{{Cite web |last=Hillary |first=S |last2=Campbell |first2=K |last3=Carlisle |first3=M |last4=Khanjian |first4=H |title=The Early Use of Synthetic Emulsion Paints by New Zealand Artists |url= https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Schilling-4/publication/276385414_The_early_use_of_synthetic_emulsion_paints_by_New_Zealand_artists/links/5663992608ae192bbf8ef1f6/The-early-use-of-synthetic-emulsion-paints-by-New-Zealand-artists.pdf |access-date=24 August 2024}} In 1964 Macfarlane was appointed as a lecturer at the Christchurch Teachers' Training College.{{Cite book |last=McGahey |first=Kate |title=The concise dictionary of New Zealand artists: painters, printmakers, sculptors |date=2000 |publisher=Gilt Edge Pub |isbn=978-0-473-05802-9 |location=Wellington, N.Z}}
= 20/20 Vision =
1964 also saw the formation of 20/20 Vision, a loose grouping of Canterbury artists set up by artist John Coley and art school lecturer Tom Taylor. The group intended to liven up the art scene through exhibitions, demonstrations and talks around current exhibitions on show in the city{{Cite news |date=3 December 1965 |title=Attracting Visitors |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19651203.2.96?end_date=31-12-1980&items_per_page=10&page=2&query=%2220%2f20+vision%22&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1960 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=13}} alongside general hilarity such as the founding in 1966 of the 20/20 Vision Decimal Milk Token Advisory Commission.{{Cite news |date=10 March 1966 |title=Australian Soprano To Sing |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19660310.2.109?end_date=31-12-1980&items_per_page=10&page=6&query=%2220%2f20+vision%22&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1960 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=12}} Macfarlane was an active member and wrote about the group in the magazine Ascent.{{Cite journal |last=Macfarlane |first=Quentin |date=1968 |title=20/20 Vision Print Show |journal=Ascent: A Journal of the Arts in New Zealand |volume=1 |issue=2 |page=49}} 20/20 Vision went on, in 1968, to set up an exhibition in Dominion Motors on Armagh Street and the Northlands Shopping Centre in Papanui selling commercially produced prints for $2.00 each as a commentary on both the conventional nature of current print making and the art market in general.{{Cite news |date=12 March 1968 |title=Festival Diary |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19680312.2.44?end_date=31-12-1980&items_per_page=10&query=%2220%2f20+vision%22&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1960 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=6}}
= Painting career =
In 1975 Macfarlane began part-time teaching at his old art school at Canterbury University and become involved with his wife Judith Gifford's new venture the Brooke Gifford Gallery.{{Cite web |last=Bambury |first=Grant |date=11 November 2019 |title=Remembering Quentin MacFarlane |url= https://eyecontactmagazine.com/2019/11/remembering-quentin-macfarlane |website=EyeContact}} Apart from some part-time teaching requirements, by 1975 Macfarlane was virtually painting full-time{{Cite news |date=1 August 1984 |title=A painterly statement |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19840801.2.97.2 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=22}} with a reputation as one of the country's leading marine painters. A good early example of this style can be seen here in the collection of the Auckland Art Gallery.{{Cite web |title=Marine: Sept – Oct |url=https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/explore-art-and-ideas/artwork/3452/marine-sept-oct |access-date=24 August 2024}} In a review of Macfarlane's work in Ascent, Leo Bensemann described the "powerful rolling sweep and sense of distant loneliness ..." in the work pointing out how they "claim attention for the seas and coast around us".{{Cite journal |last=Bensemann |first=Leo |date=1967 |title=Quentin Macfarlane |journal=Ascent |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=67}} Serving as a regular crew member for publisher Albion Wright's yacht Pastime, alongside architect Peter Beaven, he took part in many sailing trips around Banks Peninsula drawing inspiration for his work.{{Cite web |title=In Memory of Quentin Macfarlane |url= https://christchurchartgallery.org.nz/bulletin/197/in-memory-of-quentin-macfarlane-2 |access-date=24 August 2024}} Friend and art writer John Coley located the marine influence in Macfarlane's work closer to home in the suburb he had lived in since the mid-1960s. "Quentin Macfarlane's paintings have always related to his local environment, specifically the seascape below his Clifton Hill home at Sumner."{{Cite journal |last=Coley |first=John |date=Spring 1980 |title=Exhibitions Christchurch |journal=Art New Zealand |issue=17 |page=17}} In 1989 Macfarlane said of these works "I'm typecast now as a marine painter. That doesn't worry me."{{Cite journal |last=Unger |first=Pat |date=Winter 1989 |title=Quentin Mcfarlane |journal=Art New Zealand |issue=51 |pages=83, 107}}
Macfarlane died in Auckland on 5 July 2019.{{Cite news |title=Quentin Macfarlane: Obituary |url=https://notices.nzherald.co.nz/nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/name/quentin-macfarlane-obituary?id=42410475 |access-date=24 August 2024}}
Selected exhibitions
= Solo =
- 1959 Quentin Macfarlane Gallery 91
- 1963 Quentin Macfarlane Ikon Gallery. Macfarlane's first solo exhibition outside Christchurch.
- 1966 Quentin Macfarlane: Paintings and Drawings Little Woodware Shop, Christchurch.{{Cite news |date=11 June 1966 |title=Charcoals Praised |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19660611.2.103 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=14}}
- 1969 Quentin Macfarlane Barry Lett Galleries.{{Cite news |date=12 August 1969 |title=Painter Takes New Direction |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19690812.2.35 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=7}}
- 1971 Rue Pompallier Gallery Akaroa. Marine paintings.{{Cite news |date=4 November 1971 |title=Akaroa Exhibition |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19711104.2.100 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=11}}
- 1972 Quentin Macfarlane (solo) Canterbury Society of Arts.{{Cite news |date=23 May 1972 |title=A One-Man, One-Painting Exhibition |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19720523.2.82?end_date=31-12-1989&items_per_page=10&page=17&query=%22Quentin+Macfarlane%22&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1950 |access-date=24 August 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=11}}
- 1975 Quentin Macfarlane (solo) Barry Lett Galleries.{{Cite news |date=1 July 1975 |title=One-man show in Auckland |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19750701.2.91 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=10}}
- 1984 Robert McDougall Art Gallery (solo) Art writer Evan Webb noted, “MacFarlane's extensive range of painterly skills” “The reference to landscape was still very evident as were the familiar blues and greens of MacFarlane's painting but in some works the strict horizontal composition – the measured bands of colour have given way to more intuitive arrangements.“{{Cite journal |last=Webb |first=Evan |date=Spring 1984 |title=Bing Dawe Quentin MacFarlane |journal=Art New Zealand |issue=32}} And from critic John Hurrell in the Christchurch Press, “well designed and meticulously executed works have conveyed a delight in colour combined with a restrained measuring out of space…”{{Cite news |last=Hurrell |first=John |date=8 August 1984 |title=Quentin MacFarlane |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19840808.2.99?end_date=31-12-1989&items_per_page=10&query=%22Quentin+Macfarlane%22&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1950 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=22}}
- 1988 Paintings on Paper (solo) Brooke Gifford Gallery.{{Cite news |date=22 October 1988 |title=Paintings on Paper |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19881022.2.145 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=34}}
= Group =
- 1959–1977 The Group
- 1960 Hay's Limited Art Competition. Macfarlane showed work in all of the Hay's exhibitions, 1962, 1963 and 1966.{{Cite news |date=31 August 1960 |title=Exhibition Shows Range Of N.Z. Art |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19600831.2.69 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=10}}
- Four Canterbury Artists Auckland Art Gallery. The other artists were John Coley, Janet Kenny and Peter Tennant.
- 1961 Canterbury Society of Arts Annual Exhibition.{{Cite news |date=15 April 1961 |title=New Life In Society Of Arts Exhibition |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19610415.2.158 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=13}}
- 1962 Contemporary New Zealand Painting and Sculpture 1962 Auckland Art Gallery.
- 1963 Biennale de Paris.{{Cite news |date=15 June 1963 |title=First N.Z. Paintings In Paris Exhibition |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=4}}
- New Zealand Painting 1963 Auckland Art City Gallery. (toured) Tomory selection.{{Cite news |date=8 May 1963 |title=Painting In N.Z. As Good As In Europe |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19630508.2.77 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=12}}
- 1966 20/20 Vision Barry Lett Galleries, Auckland. The other artists were John Coley, Michael Eaton, David Graham and Don Peebles.{{Cite news |date=25 August 1966 |title=Art: Six in North |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19660825.2.96 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=10}}
- Hay's Limited Art Competition. Second prize.{{Cite news |date=9 March 1966 |title=Winners |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19660309.2.7 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=1}}
- 1968 Ten Years of Painting in Auckland Auckland City Art Gallery.{{Cite web |title=10 Years of New Zealand Painting in Auckland |url=https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/page/10-years-of-new-zealand-painting-in-auckland |access-date=25 August 2024}}
- 1969 20/20 Vision Northlands Shopping Centre, Papanui Christchurch.{{Cite news |date=12 March 1968 |title=Festival Diary |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19680312.2.44 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=6}}
- 1970 Royal Visit Art Exhibition Robert McDougall Art Gallery.{{Cite news |date=5 August 1970 |title=Royal Visit Art Exhibition |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19700805.2.120 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=14}}
- 1971 Recent Painting in Canterbury Robert McDougal Art Gallery.{{Cite news |date=14 April 1971 |title=Recent painting in Canterbury |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19710414.2.102 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=12}}
- Manawatu Centennial Prize for Contemporary Art Manawatu Art Gallery (toured).{{Cite news |date=16 June 1971 |title=Leading painters exhibit |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19710616.2.149 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=18}}
- 1972 Benson & Hedges Art Award Canterbury Society of Arts Gallery. Finalist.{{Cite news |date=6 June 1972 |title=Chch artists in final |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19720606.2.104 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=12}}
- 1973 Eight Christchurch Artists Holdsworth Gallery, Sydney. Other artists included Barry Cleavin, John Coley, Philip Clairmont and Trevor Moffit.{{Cite news |date=8 May 1973 |title=Eight artists in Sydney show |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19730508.2.87 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=10}}
- Canterbury Confrontations Canterbury Society of Arts. Macfarlane painted Bill Sutton who in turn drew pencil portraits of Macfarlane.{{Cite news |date=6 March 1973 |title=Artists look at one another |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19730306.2.156.9 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=17}}
- 1974 1972 Benson & Hedges Art Award Canterbury Society of Arts Gallery. Finalist.{{Cite news |date=9 July 1974 |title=Painting award tomorrow |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19740709.2.72 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=10}}
- Art N.Z.’74.{{Cite news |date=19 January 1974 |title=Games art exhibition |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19740119.2.122 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=12}}
- 1978 Ted Bracey and Quentin Macfarlane Brooke Gifford Gallery, Christchurch.{{Cite news |date=10 March 1978 |title=Seductive landscapes |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19780310.2.53 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=5}}
- 1985 Big Paintings Canterbury Society of Arts Gallery.{{Cite news |date=28 August 1985 |title=Celebration of size |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19850828.2.116.7 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=18}}
- 1988 Quentin MacFarland and Joanna Braithwaite Brooke Gifford Gallery, Christchurch.{{Cite news |date=19 October 1988 |title=Teacher and student |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19881019.2.112.5 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |page=22}}
- 1989 14 Canterbury Artists Brooke Gifford Gallery Christchurch.
Commissions and awards
1966 Awarded a Canterbury Society of Arts Guthrie Travel Grant for travel in Australia.{{Cite news |date=1 February 1967 |title=Art Travel Grant to Chch. Painter |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19670201.2.88 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |pages=8}}
1972 invited to compete for mural in Hamilton Founders Memorial Theatre. The commission eventually given to Ralph Hotere.{{Cite news |date=28 November 1972 |title=Competition for mural |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19721128.2.120 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |pages=15}}
1974 QEII Arts Council grant.
1980 Waimarie Council Art Award.{{Cite news |date=13 September 1980 |title=MacFarlane wins $500 art award |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19800913.2.131 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |pages=25}}
1982 Installs set of banners in the central light well of the new Canterbury Public Library on Gloucester Street.{{Cite news |title=Model of Library Banners |url=https://canterburystories.nz/collections/archives/star/prints/1981/ccl-cs-480 |access-date=24 August 2024}} The works hangs through three floors, of the building.{{Cite news |date=2 January 1982 |title=Banners hung in new Chch library |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19820102.2.53.1 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |pages=5}} The library's architect Miles Warren of the architectural firm Warren and Mahoney said that Macfarlane's work would "give a brilliance and pattern to the library" and "guide people into the upper floors".{{Cite news |date=29 September 1981 |title=Banners for brilliance |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19810929.2.56 |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=The Press (Christchurch) |pages=6}}
Collections
- [https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/explore-art-and-ideas/artist/2224/quentin-macfarlane Auckland Art Gallery Toi Tāmaki]
- [https://christchurchartgallery.org.nz/search?q=quentin+macfarlane Christchurch Art Gallery]
- [https://collection.dunedin.art.museum/objects/4989/slow-drift Dunedin Public Art Gallery]
- [https://fletchercollection.org.nz/artworks/winter-storm/ Fletcher Trust Collection]
- [https://collection.temanawa.co.nz/objects/32803/macfarlane-quentin Te Manawa]
- [https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/39415 Te Papa Tongarewa]
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macfarlane, Quentin}}
Category:Ilam School of Fine Arts alumni
Category:People associated with The Group (New Zealand art)
Category:20th-century New Zealand painters