Artist’s landscape legacy in south Landscape artist Jonathan White, of Whakatane, had hoped to attend his latest exhibition Our Landscape: through the brush of Jonathan R. White MNZM, featuring a series of 19 stunning landscapes at Invercargill’s He Waka Tuia Art + Museum. Unfortunately, he died on July 17 at the age of 82. Invercargill City Council museum and heritage services manager Wayne Marriott pays tribute to the celebrated artist.

• Published date: 05 August 2021

Jonathan Robert White was born on September 12, 1938, and was raised with his sisters at Otoko, prior to the family relocating to part of the former McLean and Hutchinson Estate, Whakatane.

A passionate genealogist, he proudly noted he was a fifth-generation New Zealander.

His namesake was Sir Jonathan Hutchinson, a brother of his great grandfather, and founder of the Haselmere Natural History Museum and resident of Inval, Haselmere, Surrey.

Schooled at Awakeri, White was sent to Kings College, Auckland, for his secondary school education. Returning to Whakatane was a rare treat for borders in those days, so short holidays were often spent in Auckland with his aunt.

Leaving Kings College, he worked for a time for George Cooke Antiques, on Karangahake Rd, Auckland. Trips to Wellington with his family always involved a visit to McKenna’s Christies Corner, where J F McKenna would indulge the questioning of the boy, who was allowed to explore the back store rooms of McKenna’s.

There, sets of Rockingham, paintings and clocks all extracted by from sold-up landed gentry estates in the United Kingdom by McKenna’s, which would return to Whakatane with White.

Farming vs art

White knew he didn’t want to be a farmer from an early age.

As the only son, there was some expectation he would, in time, manage or run part of the family farm. Art was his escape and in order to do that he had to prove it was sustainable as an income.

As a child he was actively encouraged to draw by members of his family; while attending primary school White was fortunate to receive painting lessons from Gisborne businessman and artist Arch Christie.

At Kings College, White came under the influence of Kings College art master Arthur (A C) Hipwell and then I E McMillan, a respected portrait painter.

In 1957, Henry Kelliher, who founded the Art Prize of the same name, presented Hipwell’s Mt Taratara, Northland to the National Art Gallery. White would later receive several of the prestigious Kelliher Prizes, including three merit awards.

By the late 1950s, White was producing a body of pen and ink, and pen and graphite works.

The recognised ornithologist and botanical artist Minna Pycroft encouraged White to look at other ways and mediums of depicting his landscapes. Many of these illustrations were imaginary, assembled on paper (and china) from different places, times and experiences.

Overseas

The early 1960s offered White the opportunity to go on his overseas experience.

The long boat journey...