Norman Maclean’s life drawing legacy celebrated in Gisborne exhibition

Gisborne Artists' Society life member and printmaker Jean Johnston has curated a new exhibition of life drawings by the late Norman Maclean.

An exhibition of life drawings by the late Norman Maclean opens tonight at Tairāwhiti Museum featuring works created at the life drawing classes he ran at Lysnar House Studios.

When printmaker Jean Johnston discovered drawers full of Maclean’s figure drawing studies at his studio in Central St, she got in touch with Jolene Douglas at Tairāwhiti Museum with the idea of having an exhibition.

For around 15 years, Norman Maclean voluntarily took charge of life drawing sessions using nude models – who were often recruited from the backpacker accommodation in Gisborne.

Life drawing is about the process, not just about the final result, and is dedicated to mastering the complexities of the human figure as a model poses for extended periods of time. Artists are able to observe, study and draw the model’s proportions, anatomy and expression.

With limited access to people prepared to model in Gisborne, Maclean devised the idea of hiring international models who stayed in backpacker accommodation in the city.

A promotional flyer gave his phone number and assurance that the model “would be picked up and returned to the backpackers and be paid for two hours of standing, sitting or lying with no clothes on, while serious artists drew them”.

According to Graeme Nicholl, chairperson of the Gisborne Artists’ Society, drawing and painting the human figure may be viewed in the Western art world as the “supreme challenge”.

“Norman’s art examples here show his ability to meet that challenge,” Nicholl said.

“His style is recognisable, being colourful, expressive, confidently applied and composed. His drawing lines seem to remove tension, intuitively creating intimacy and calmness.”

To coincide with the opening of the exhibition, Gisborne Printmakers are having a weekend to honour Maclean’s generous contribution to the visual arts.

On Saturday the printmaking group will workshop a session to honour his skills as a long-time printmaker. This will be facilitated by master printmaker, and one of Maclean’s good friends, Lynn Taylor of Port Chalmers, Dunedin.

“My approach to art has always been largely intuitive. Observation drawing and for me, the figurative, in particular, has always been fundamental to my own art.” – artist statement, Norman Maclean.

Drawing Life at Tairāwhiti Museum opens today at 5.30pm