Evening Star Newspaper, January 3, 1932, Page 79

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, JANUARY 3, 1932 \L HE Society of Washington Artists’ forty-first annual exhibition opened without formalities on New Year day in the Corcoran Gallery of Art, to continue through Janusry 31. It 45 an excellent show, varied, colorful, omd, in the matter of character, upstanding and comparing favorably with the best local sxhibitions held in other cities of even larger population and where the patronage of art is perhaps even greater than it is here. Qflemtbmheorsn;uhtpmes have gone out of fashion, that imterior deco- rators no longer recommend their placement in the home and that walls should be pen- eled and plain or hung with decorstive textiles. But if this were so, what becomes of the hun- dreds of pictures painted every yesr in these Dnited States, and how has the innate love ‘of pictures been uprooted? In earliest child- hood the picture book makes strong appeal. As the years pass, this attraction shifts to other fields, but it is never completely lost and it never will be. Witness the present popu- larity of pictures that move—"“movies.” I there were no demand, no popular interest, no inward urge, artists would stop painting pic- tures and something very valuable in pleasur- able, recreational quality would be lost to the world. And this recalls the fact that William M. Chase once said he wished that over the door »f every art museum might be carved the words, “This is for your enjoyment, not your criti- eism.” It is. of course, so much easier to criti- cize than to achieve. But the current exhibition in the Corcoran Gallery of Art needs no apologies nor defense, for it is excellent and cannot fail to prove pleasurable For the most part, the exhibition, filling two zalleries—those set aside for transient exhibi- tion to the right and left of the great stair- way—is made up of the work of local painters, although there are some distinguished exhib- jtors from out of town. Such, for instance, as Hugh Breckenridge of Philadelphia. But it does not lack variety in subject matter or manner »f rendering. Indeed, perhaps no exhibition held by the Society of Washington Artists here- . tofore has so completely reflected contempo- rary trends. It is essentially modern without being ultra modernistic—and that is well. We must . explore new paths or we shall lose the spirit of adventure and become sterile. Surely there is nothing timid or old-fashioned here. Great art? .Well, perhaps not, but great ar{ does not happen every day and is not always recognizable at birth. But there is much good art, evidencing gift and vision on the part of out local painters. The paintings shown in this exhibition were selected, as usual, by the officers and Executive Sommittee of the society, but the prizes (bronze medals) were awarded by a jury consisting of Charles Dunn, Lesley Jackson and Minor Jameson. They were as follows: For portrait- are, including figure composition, to May Ash- ton for a three-quarter-length figure of = young woman; for landscape, to a painting by Mary G Riley, entitled “The Cathedral”; for still life, to a painting by Ruth Porter Ward for a study of a potted begonia against a tan- solored curtain; for sculpture to a portrait head of Maxwell Leggette by Gladys Huling Theis—awards with which the public will find little occasion to quarrel or complain. May Ashton, the winner of the portrait medal, is & Washingtonian, a one-time student »f the Corcoran School and for a considerable number of years a teacher of art in our local public schools. She has of late been making rapid and steady progress and her works have won placement in some of the leading exhi- bitions. She is doubly represented In this ex- hibition—in each instance by strong figure paintings The prize painting is especially zo0d in pose, characterization and the rendition of the head. these excellent qualities making ample amend for certain obvious but unimpor- tant shortcomings. Mary Riley, a member of the Society of Wachington Artists, and the Washington Water Color Club, is well known and her prize-win ning picture in her accustomed manner shows competence, command of medium and keen ar- tistic perception. It is a delightful composi- tion finely rendered. What more could one ask? Ruth Porter Ward, like Mrs: Ashton, is twice represented—by her charming still life so skil- fully painted with strength and delicacy of feeling, and by a three-quarter-length portrait of a young violinist, lacking somewhat in vigor but spirited. And Miss Porter is one of the younger group, only ‘“yesterday,” as time is reckoned, enrolled a student in the Corcoran Art School. There are more figure paintings than usual in this exhibition. H. Schlereth, a new name in the catalogue, shows two of exceedingly credit- able character, one of a young woman in yel- low, the other of a man in brown—both studies in character. Eben Comins is represented by a three-quarter-length, standing portrait of Bishop Carroll Perry of Ipswich, Mass., showing an inferesting lighting effect and an unusually to which a place of honor in the : v has been assigned. Ruth Ander- son of Boston sends a charming portrait of a little girl in a leghorn hat seen in full outdoor light, and from Mrs. Kremelberg Gibson of Bal- timore has come a painting of a young woman with red hair painted in the manner of the great Mancini but not imitative—richly colorful —deli 11. Bjorn Egeli, a newcomer to Wash- ington, exhibits a portrait of Dr. Mitc the local surgeon, which is strong and impressive; Camelia Whitehurst shows a winsome portrait f iy of a child; Catherine Critcher is at her best in two Indian portraits, one rich in color and extremely decorative, the other a study in white against an Indian rug or blanket, superb- ly set forth with unfaltering skill Of outstanding interest in this exhibition is a painting by Carl Rakemann of Christ breaking bread with his disciples, & work of rare quality AL A AND Ak y 1TEHHLA MECHLIN Forty-First Annual Exhibition of Socicty of Washington Artists Opens at Corcoran Gallery—Other Notes of the Art World. Portrait study by Mary Ashion, awarded the bronze medal for portraiture in the forty-first annual exhibition of the Society of Washington Artists. and significance-both from the standpoint of subject and painting. It is strong, painterlike, excellent in composition and withal profoundly reverent—a great achicvement in this sup- posedly unbelieving age. Charles Dunn has also, turning from comics and very good ones, entered in this exhibition two very striking and admirable religious paint- ings—lttle canvasses big with feeling—one aof the flight into Egypt, the other of the crucifix- jon, both a little reminiscent in style of Ryder —dramatic in simplicity and memorable. The landscape painters, too, give a good ac- count of themselves and it is in this field particularly that the present variousness in style is especially notable. Edgar Nye in his U. S. Diet Feeds Five-Family W eck on $10 FAMILY of five at current prices in Wash- ington cannot only be supported but actually well fed on a diet prepared by the Department of Agriculture’'s Bureau of Home Economics at & cost in the neighborhood of $10 per week. The diet in question is one on which a family could exist indefinitely, for the rations are well balanced and every type of food is represented that is essential to human welfare. Another diet on which a family could live for considerable time, although there would be no margin of safety, could be supplied at a cost of around $7. It is suggested that the housewife, hard put to make a little money go a long way, should, for the health of her family, divide her dollars into five parts, to be spent upon five different nds of food. Some varia- tion is nec when there are children in the family, rather than adults For a family of five, with three children under the age of 14, a dollar, according to the experts, should be spent about as follows: Twenty-five cents for milk and cheese; 20 to 25 cents for vegetables and fruits; 15 to 20 cents for bread and cereals; 15 to 20 cer for butter, lard, other fats, sugar and molasses; 15 to 20 cents for meat, fish and eges A typical ration for the family of five for a week would contain 30 pounds of bread, flour and other grains; 28 quarts of milk, 20 pounds of potatoes, 1 pound of dried beans or peas, 6 pounds of fresh or canned tomatoes, 10 pounds of leafy vegetables, 10 pounds of other vegetables and fruits, 3 pounds of butter, lard, bacon and other fats; 3 pounds of sugar, molasses and other sirups, 7 pounds of lean meats and 1 dozen eggs. At prices quoted in one store last week, this diet could be supplied at a cost of slightly more than $10. 5 The emergency rations which would main- tain & family for a short period at the lower cost contains less grains, milk and potatoes, but a greater percentage of fats and sugar. In either diet, adults can get along on less milk and cheese, but require larger portions of vegetables and fruits. Bird 1 'reaty . Jz////n'w/ Abroad the United States and Great Britain entered into an agreement of widespread > to the hunters of this country and s well as all nature lovers, when the mig y bird treaty was signed. This treaty, after the value was dem- onstrated in the years since then, has led to adoption of a similar treaty between two na- tions of Europe, a treaty which will likely be the forerunner of a general agreement through- out Europe. Sweden and Denmark are the first two nations to reach the-agreement, their treaty dealing largely with the question of pro- tection of water fow! IFTEEN years ago several cemtributions still shows a predilection for #he cubist’s formula but less markedily so than heretofore. Lewis Clephane, on the sther exhibits a picture of Provimcetown painted with exceptional breadth and charm, Tom Brown is represented by two landscapes, velled iz misty atinosphere, subtle snd sensi- tively feit, while Roy Brown in his three eon- tributiens pictures Micsummer landscapes in their lushness of green through the medium ©f rich celor held in simple nmasses and a mod- ern lpear Tormula distinctly effective. Mrs. Weaver, Mrs. Backus and May Marshall all shew in their works modernistic trends eon- irasting sharply with the traditional methods employed, most capably, by Edith Hoyt in proe ducing the two admirable pictures of the Ca«< nadian Rockies, by which she is represented, Miss Fish of Texas and several other con- tributors to this exhibition evidence in their works the influence of intimacy with the arts of Mexico. On the other hand, s purely ifluse trative work in the manner of the European school is a large canvas exhibited by de Graf- fenreid Woolley which shows Dr. Vollbehr ree ceiving at the hands of representatives of the church & copy of the Gutenberg Bible—an elaborate composition including several MNfe« sized figures. Still life painting has undoubtedly come into its own in the last few years and through itg color and brightness enlivened many exhibie tions. To this the present show is no excepe tion. Here is a most excellent and effectivg painting by Lillian Moses of calla lilies, mem« orable for merit; colorful, decorative works—s flower paintings—by Mrs. Neuhauser; an exe quisite painting of peonies by Richard Merys= man; a supeitb study of white and yellow chrysanthemums by Mrs. Leisenring; a broadly rendered and atmospheric flower study by Sarah Munroe; an interesting study of ligh# and objects by F. C. Kirk, and two large flowes studies rendered with characteristic minutia and care by Elizabeth Muhlhofer—to mention only a few. And still nothing has been said of Hugh Breckenridge's colorful landscape done in & luscious way all his own; of Charles Bitien« ger’s Mount Vernon, undoubtedly inspired by the approaching Bicentennial; of Mrs. Zimele's<slh excellent wood interior; of three charming landscapes beautifully felt and rendered by Minor S. Jameson; of Wells Sawyer’s Castla in Spain, not included in his recent exhibition at the National Gallery; of Sewell Johnson's competent portrait of Duke Ellington, thd Negro orchestra leader; of J. C. Claghorn'y several paintings, among which, one of afl old mill lends real distinction to the exhibitionj of admirable works by Winfield Scott Cline, Garnet Jex, Hattie Burdette, Rowland Lyon, Lucia Hollerith, who is rapidly taking a place in the front ranks, and, finally, of contributiong of a novel sort and fine quality by Charles Hoover and his wife Mr. Hoover exhibits twa paintings of old Washington houses; Mrs, Hoover one of her inimitable Victorian in« teriors with_figure. And, obviously, these ard not all. Luckily the exhibition has just opened and has four weeks io run. so each mmay sea and evalue according to one's own taste and judgment. But one should see it. N exhibition of paintings by John Whorf is an event ot note in Boston, so why no§ here? John Whorf is one of the most suce cessful water colorists of our day—perhaps of any day—and, to borrow a phrase from the book world, he is one of the “best sellers.” It is almost impossible to procure his paintings for traveling exhibitions, because they are imy such demand at home—meaning Boston in parse. ticular and the dealers’ galleries in Eastern cities in general. Therefore, the Ar{ Committeg of the Arts Club is especially to be congratu= lated upon securing the collection of Whorf paintings which goes on exhibition in the cluls gallery today for the regulation fortnight. ‘Whorf, who is still in his thirties, has beesj exhibiting since he was 19 and steadily wine ning applause. He is said to have been a pupil of Sargent, to have been influenced powerfuilly by his work and to have literally touched hands with him. But he is no imitator. HW own originality and energy permeate his work, He has been defined as & man who talks pese simistically but works optimistically, but the Continued on Eighteenth Page CRITCHER SCHOOL of PAINTING & APPLIED ART COMMERCIAL ART PORTRAIT & LIFE CLASSES 1736 Conn. Ave. North 19668 HILL SCHOOL of ART CLARA HILL, DIRECTOR Sculpture—Painting—Etching—Design 6 Dupont Circle. Ne. 1271 ABBOTT SCHOOL FINE AND COMMERCIAL 1e2ausenw. ART 2 e eaes Felix Mahony’s Classes Begin January ; National Art School 1747R.1. Ave. North1114 s -