Compiled by Sue Wild

Tui McLauchlan joined The Wellington Society of Watercolour Artists (now Watercolour New Zealand) one month after its inaugural meeting in 1975.

A few years later she became editor of the newsletter, a role that she was well-suited to as an experienced journalist. She was editor for twenty years.

The editor’s job is principally to keep members informed of past events and upcoming events. Tui did far more than that. She educated her readers in the art of watercolour with lively, convivial observations. She offered sympathy in the face of watercolour challenges, encouragement, advice, approbation.

Her ‘chats’ sparkled with wit, keen observation and especially with open sharing. Below are experts from Tui’s newsletters and from the book “A Brush with Tui” compiled in 2003 by our member, Dana Jackson.

Dana: “Tui loved to bring joy to people. She understood that the arts could make people, especially retired folk, become creative and thrive. As well as spreading the love of painting, she took music to groups, playing her piano accordion at retirement homes … and anywhere. She founded two art clubs – Kapiti Arts Society and Mana Arts Society.”

Tui speaks:

Three ingredients 1983
"The three ingredients for watercolour painting are pigment, water and you. Mix them altogether willy-nilly and what have you? Parts will be good and parts will be bad, and happy accidents will happen - all a matter of opinion, of course. But on the whole, there is need for lots of good business management."
"…The main problem is how to regulate that water supply and, having done that, how to know when the painting is finished."

Peppertree Cottage Painting Days

In the 1980s Tui regularly invited members to paint at her Peppertree Cottage on the Pauatahanui Inlet.
“From 10 am, wet or fine. Paint or relax and chat. It doesn’t matter. Take a nap if you like. The place sometimes has that effect on one. Most of you, though, will not be able to resist putting brush, pen or pencil to paper.”

On one occasion Tui decided to assess her painting friends:
“One managed to wring out a few personal truths from artists as to why they painted. Here are some of them:

Why We Paint:
“It’s a vocation; makes life worthwhile; gets rid of inhibitions; always keen since scratching pictures in the dust as a crawler; it’s a disease – can’t help it; fascination for shapes and colours; I can’t not.”

Love and hate
Dare to court Lady Watercolour and you have a prolonged courtship on your hands. She’ll go through the usual routine of tempting, teasing, eluding and compromising, then withdrawing. You’ll love her then you’ll hate her but you’ll not give up the game. Discipline and tame her if you choose (she needs it) but always remember that even though she may appear quiescent and loving, she’s not really conquered.

Why we Paint
Let’s talk about why we paint – what drives us to tolerate all the suffering and pain connected with this watercolour game. If you have no bother that way, then that’s it, but if, like me, it’s one long story of aiming for the masterpiece, then there’s never any let-up. Maybe what keeps us going is the wondrous joy experienced when a painting goes right, whatever that may mean. Although the self-satisfaction from achieving something worthwhile could be dangerous, couldn’t it – dangerous in that we run the risk of self-complacency, so that we might not keep on striving for something better.

Painting from photos
We all know that criticism about painting from photos is nothing new. I say, use the wonderful photo as a reference only and so, be creative and not copyist. Nothing supersedes the power of the hand behind the brush. What makes a painting excel is that special knowing which only the painter holding that brush can conceive with the eyes of his/her soul.

Experimenting
There is no progress unless there is experimentation.

Discipline
The experts (who are they?) say that watercolours most important characteristic is the discipline it requires – and yet! I dunno. Maybe they refer to the fact that watercolour likes its own way. Is the watercolour itself the disciplinarian? The artist may think he’s in control. But is he? Maybe he’s just a manipulator being subtly manipulated by the greatest creator of all.

Individual style
“A theme for the day could be development in individual style – that indefinable intuitive thing we’re all born with and which shows up in everything we do. In painting each of us must have our own style but some of us bury it under layers and layers of other people’s. Acknowledge your God-given style and to blazes with the other fellow. Do your own thinking, have your own viewpoint. Listen to your peers, digest, then eliminate what doesn’t suit your personality. But above all have humility, knowing that the masters are wise until you have proved yourself wiser.”

I was worried about painting “properly” for a long time before I decided to do it my way.

Have a good scribble 1991
People do it all the time – scribble. It’s like having a good clean-out. Scribble with pen, pencil, crayon or anything which makes a mark on any old piece of paper at any time of day or night, at work or leisure. It does something for a tired stressed body in a tired stressed world – and it doesn’t cost money. They call it doodling. Why don’t you try it, just for a lark?

Lost and found - 1985
An aspect of painting I find important is keeping the viewer guessing – not defining the line too definitely. Let the line be lost and found. Let viewers have fun interpreting paintings as they wish.

Another rung - 1982
Now is a good time to take a serious look at yourself. Are you still on the bottom rung of the ladder - are you a spot further up? You should never be too satisfied with what you have achieved for there is always another rung higher up the ladder.

Cityscape by Tui McLauchlan