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Chrystabel Laurene McArthur (née Aitken, 1904 – 15 January 2005) was a versatile New Zealand artist. Her works are held in museums and galleries in New Zealand.

Career

Chrystabel Aitken spent her early years on a farm in Southland, New Zealand. Recognising her artistic abilities her family moved to Christchurch so that she could attend the Canterbury College School of Art. Beginning her studies in 1921, her tutors included Francis Shurrock and James Alexander Johnstone. While at the college she received several scholarships for modelling, including the School medal for "Special Excellence in Modelling" in 1925. Following her graduation Aitken was also a tutor at the School of Art, working alongside Florence Akins, Bill Sutton, and Shurrock.

Aitken specialised in sculpture, although her work also includes jewellery, metalwork, and linocuts. Her sculptures often took animals as their subject. The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa holds examples of her artworks including a jewel casket.

Works by Aitken include: Horses and Riders and A Bull.

Exhibitions

Aitken exhibited with the Canterbury Society of Arts, the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts and the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition.

Between 1936 and 1966 Aitken was a prominent member of The Group, an informal art association from Christchurch, New Zealand, formed to provide a freer alternative to the Canterbury Society of Arts. She contributed works to multiple exhibitions by including in: 1937; 1947; 1948; 1949; 1950; 1951; 1952; 1953; 1955; 1956; 1957.

The University of Canterbury holds a large public collection of art works by Aitken, with many pieces donated by the artist's family.

Chrystabel L Aitken Scholarship for Fine Arts

The Chrystabel L Aitken Scholarship for Fine Arts was established in 2005 from an endowment under Aitken's will. It supports University of Canterbury students in the School of Fine Arts who face financial challenges.

Personal life

Aitken was married to Gordon McArthur.

References

1. "Chrystabel Aitken". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
2. ^ "A Bull – Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
3. Calhoun, Ann (2015). Arts & crafts design : like yet not like nature - sources for a New Zealand story (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand. p. 316. ISBN 9780473334352. OCLC 913958889.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
4. ^ "Chrystabel L. Aitken NZETC". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
5. ^ "Chrystabel L Aitken Fund for Fine Arts" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
6. "Jewel casket by Chrystabel Aitken". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
7. "Horses And Riders – Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
8. "Artists exhibited with Canterbury Society of Arts". findnzartists.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
9. "Artists exhibited with New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts". findnzartists.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
10. "Artists exhibited with The Group". findnzartists.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
11. "The Group 1927 – 1977: an annotated bibliography – Heritage – Christchurch City Libraries". christchurchcitylibraries.com. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
12. "The Group 1947". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
13. "The Group 1948". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
14. "The Group 1949". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
15. "The Group 1950". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
16. "The Group 1951". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
17. "The Group 1953". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
18. "The Group 1955". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
19. "The Group 1956". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
20. "The Group 1957". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
21. "Chrystabel L Aitken Scholarship for Fine Arts". Retrieved 23 September 2017.
22. "Aitken, Chrystabel". findnzartists.org.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2017.

Further reading

Artist files for Chrystabel Aitken are held at various New Zealand institutions. These include:

• E. H. McCormick Research Library, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
• Robert and Barbara Stewart Library and Archives, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu
• Te Aka Matua Research Library, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Also see:

• Concise Dictionary of New Zealand Artists McGahey, Kate (2000) Gilt Edge

• 1904 births
• 2005 deaths
• New Zealand painters
• New Zealand women painters
• New Zealand women sculptors
• 20th-century New Zealand sculptors
• University of Canterbury alumni
• Ilam School of Fine Arts alumni
• People from the Southland Region
• New Zealand women centenarians
• People associated with the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
• People associated with the Canterbury Society of Arts
• 20th-century New Zealand women artists
• People associated with The Group (New Zealand art)
• 20th-century women sculptors