Rata Alice Lovell-Smith (née Bird, 1894–1969) was a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

artist from

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

. Lovell-Smith trained at the Christchurch College School of Arts and then taught there from 1924 to 1945.Kirker, Anne. ''New Zealand Women Artists'' Reed Methuen, 1986Brown, Gordon and Keith, Hamish. ''An Introduction to New Zealand Painting 1839-1980'' Collins, 1982

Style and subject

Her paintings were generally of landscapes, botany, and flowers. She always painted

in situ ''In situ'' (; often not italicized in English) is a Latin phrase that translates literally to "on site" or "in position." It can mean "locally", "on site", "on the premises", or "in place" to describe where an event takes place and is used in ...

and never painted from notes. Sometimes, she would have several paintings on the go from the same location, each with different weather. Lovell-Smith's painting style is characterised by bold design, broad flat areas of colour, and an almost poster-like style. She emphasised basic patterns and shapes, sometimes exaggerating the intensity of colours. At the time, some critics responded to it by saying it went "counter to good tradition" or that it smacked of commercial art, while others defended her saying: Lovell-Smith can be understood as part of a movement of New Zealand artists in the 1930s, including Olivia Spencer-Bower,

Rita Angus Rita Angus (12 March 1908 – 25 January 1970), a New Zealand painter, has a reputation - along with Colin McCahon and Toss Woollaston - as one of the leading figures in twentieth-century New Zealand art. She worked primarily in oil and water c ...

, and Alfred Cook, whom art writers A.R.D Fairburn, James Shelley and '"Conrad" recognised as providing a "new manner" of painting better representing New Zealand and its light. This included the removal of romantic or golden mist and soft warm colour, and a move towards clear hard light, and displaying sheer, sharp, more linear forms.Pound, Francis. ''The Invention of New Zealand Art: Art and National Identity, 1930 - 1970'' Auckland University Press, 2009

Exhibitions

From 1924 until 1966 Lovell-Smith exhibited at the Canterbury Society of Art. In 1933, Lovell-Smith was included in the first general exhibition of the New Zealand Society of Artists. From 1935 she regularly exhibited with

The Group The Group may refer to: Film and television * ''The Group'' (Australian TV series), 1971 situation comedy produced by Cash Harmon Television for ATN7 * ''The Group'' (Canadian TV series), 1968–70 music variety on CBC Television * ''The Group ...

(with

Cora Wilding Cora Hilda Blanche Wilding (15 November 1888 – 8 October 1982) was a New Zealand physiotherapist and artist, best remembered for her advocacy of outdoor activities and children’s health camps in the 1930s. She was instrumental in the foundin ...

Ngaio Marsh Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh (; 23 April 1895 – 18 February 1982) was a New Zealand mystery writer and theatre director. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966. As a crime writer during the "Golden Age of Det ...

Evelyn Page Evelyn Margaret Page (née Polson, 23 April 1899 – 28 May 1988) was a New Zealand artist. Her career covered seven decades, and her main areas of interest were landscapes, portraits, still lifes and nudes. Early life Page was born in C ...

, and

Louise Henderson Dame Louise Etiennette Sidonie Henderson (née Sauze, 21 April 1902 – 27 June 1994) was a French-New Zealand artist and painter. Life Louise Etiennette Sidonie Sauze was born on 21 April 1902 at Boulogne sur Seine, Paris, France ...

). In 1940 Lovell-Smith was included in the Centennial Exhibition of New Zealand Artists in Wellington.

Awards

In 1939 Lovell-Smith was awarded the Bledisloe Medal for Landscapes for her ''Punga'' by the Auckland Society of Art.Johnstone, Christopher. ''Landscape Paintings of New Zealand: A Journey from North to South'' Random House New Zealand, 2006

Marriage

Rata Alice Bird married fellow artist Colin Stuart Lovell-Smith (1894-1960) 8 February 1922.Births Deaths and Marriages
Online accessed 26 November 2018 He was the youngest brother of

Kitty Lovell-Smith Hilda Kate Lovell-Smith (10 July 1886 – 3 February 1973), generally known as Kitty Lovell-Smith, was a New Zealand businesswoman and community organiser. Early life Lovell-Smith was born at Riccarton, New Zealand, Riccarton, in Christchurch ...

References

1894 births 1969 deaths New Zealand women painters 20th-century New Zealand painters Artists from Christchurch 20th-century New Zealand women artists People associated with The Group (New Zealand art) 20th-century women painters {{NewZealand-painter-stub

Style and subject

Exhibitions

Awards

Marriage

Further reading

References