PROVENANCE:

Terry & Moira Wood Collection

Purchased directly from the artist, 1996

EXHIBITED:

Lopdell House 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Titirangi 1996

Peter Siddell's idyllic painting of Lopdell House, presents a seductively tranquil, enduring scene where everything appears in place. But is this really true? Have a closer look, go outside and see if you can spot the differences. History can be kind or cruel depending on the memories and interpretations of the narrator. And artists, like good story tellers and illusionists, are deft at employing their brushes like wands to portray the world as they wish. So whatever happens to Lopdell House in the future, we'll always have this vision of Titirangi to remember. Text from Lopdell House exhibition card.

The 1929 building was originally built as a hotel for day trippers from Auckland and was known as the 'pub with no beer' as it was never granted a liquor licence. In 1986 it became a public gallery known as Lopdell House Gallery.It is now the home of Te Uru Waitakare Contemporary Gallery.

Dear Terry, Thanks for your letter.  I've been hoping that the painting still looked OK and fitted well into your home. I was very pleased to see how good it looked at Lopdell House. Thanks also for that most enjoyable evening.  Sylvia and I really enjoyed ourselves but left rather abruptly without  saying farewell as I was suddenly stricken with the first symptoms of what turned out to be a dose of flu.  Please give out best wishes to Moira. Regards Peter Siddell. 4 December 1996 - from a hand written letter affixed verso.