Page 50 - Studio International - June 1967

often reminded me of those drawings showing
figures made up of genital organs which are usually
attributed to Salvator Rosa. But I do wonder if the
resemblance seems as striking to the artist as it does
to me ? The ambiguities here don't seem as useful
as those which I find in Hoyland's paintings.
Far more severe, and in no danger of misinter-
pretation, are Tess Jaray's new paintings at the
HAMILTON GALLERY. These are connected in theme
with the mural which she painted for Expo 67 in
Montreal, and they also represent a direct and
logical development from her earlier work which
was seen at the GRABOWSKI GALLERY. Miss Jaray is
a painter with a primarily architectural bent-her
big pictures show patterns which seem to be derived
from such things as the vaulting and coffering to be
found on ceilings. Her work has moved in two
directions. First, her colour-schemes have become
lighter and airier; and secondly, her patterns have
become more dynamic and more elaborate. These
are good things in themselves, and the paintings
are beautifully made, so that the spectator (for
once) finds himself taking a keen pleasure in the
quality of the workmanship. The one doubt is
about how much further this particular line of
development can be taken.
Miss Jaray will be followed at the same gallery by
a show of sculpture by Vic Gentils. Gentils' work
is a bit like Louise Nevelson's, and also a bit like
that of George Fullard. He is a collagist who works

William McTaggart
Carnoustie Bay 1880
Oil on canvas
24x 36 in.
'Mc Taggart was an
instinctual genius.' There is
some justification for this
opening sentence of McIntosh
Patrick's catalogue
introduction to the exhibition
of works by William
McTaggart (1835-1910) at the
Fine Art Society -June 5-24.
Working in relative isolation
he worked towards an almost
Impressionist technique in his
search for atmosphere. He
never wholly outgrew the
dangers of genre painting.
His figures were always
particular, and often
sentimental. But some of his
seascapes, and particularly
those from which the figure
has been eliminated-The
white surf, The wave-have an
assurance and beauty which
would stand comparison with
seascapes by Courbet and
Winslow Homer.