A Letter from artist Joan Morrell

To Whom it may concern

I was invited to view Pauline Hudson's work which was on display, at the time in the Taupo Quay School of Arts. On meeting Pauline, I was discussing it with her in order to say what a lot of work had gone into it. I was keen to get at her intentions behind he work, was fully aware of the time and insperation that had gone into it's display and presentation etc. We talked about the mysticism in the work, at how topical it was to my mind, because of this sudden outburst that has hit the western world with the resurgence of "The Lord of The Rings" , "Harry Potter" etc.. The return in fashion, in colour schemes and music to the magical "seventes" and late "sixties". I was amazed at her dilligence in executing the work and its layout but I was even more amazed that she had received such low marks for it, D minus, I believe. In my opinion, it would have to be a very rough, uninspired, lack-a-daisical work of art to be marked so lowly that it jeopardised four years of work, three of which had been marked with passing grades. Surely when a student has spent four years' of dedication and student fees and is obviously genuine, the marking panel or whomever has the final say or assessment, is not there to fail that student. Any University Professor would tell his students in his times of reassurence that very remark "We are not here to fail you!" It seems to me to be a mean-spirited mark, a D minus for all that work and dedication, a mark that would fail Pauline in the award of a degree by one subjective point.
I believe that there needs to be a reassessment with a more objective view of what she has endeavored to express.
My own experience of 40 years of the ups and downs of bronze sculpture and fashions, my own country's acknowlegement of my judgment by awarding me with a Q.S.M and 1990 Commemoration Award, both awards for the arts, tells me that Pauline deserves a pass at the very least.

Yours sincerely,

Joan Morrell.

The matters herein only describe problems within the School of fine arts, a part of the Wanganui Regional Community Polytechnic and does not represent any other part of the polytechnic.