The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-11-04
AN ART PROPOSITION.
Rotary Exhibitions of represent
alive Paintings.

While Mr.. Edwin Deakin, the art
| ist now here, is every inch painter,
| full of fire, poetry and color, he is
also very practical in his ideas, and
has many thoughts that might be
put into usage with a deal OF a l.
vantage to artists everywhere. In
the course OF several very interest
ing conversations with the gentle
man upon art matters, limitations
that artists might band together for
the purpose of giving rotary eXhIbi
tions of their paintings have come
from him, and recently the question
was put broadly, what IS meant by
a rotary exhibition? whereupon a
detailed explanation was given, OF
which the following is crude epi-
| tome:
One would naturally look for a
congeniality of motive and fe ling
among artists; yet strange to say,
those who are disciples of that art
whose very soul is unity, symmetry
AMI harmony, as illustrated in the
perfection Of the human form and
in the magical and manifold beau
ties Of nature, should be so strongly
| imbued with the petty feelings Of
jealousy. Of all arts, or branches
of industry, not excepting music,
that by which we portray human
passions, the human form and re-
produce the rare, the magnificent,
the ineXpressibly beautiful features
of mother earth, should produce the
greatest breadth of intelligence,
the most catholic sympathy, the
most noble and generous love. Wars,
whether bloodless or fought
" it'll dire results, are hindrance5 TO
progress; another trouble with
art is that its votaries and its ex-
EN- plars, animated by jealousy, and
envy and spite, have stood in the
way of the advancement of others,
and consequently they have injured
themselves. CllqueS are formed,
and they attempt to control not
only the form of art, but to force
the public to an approval of what
meets their appreciation and to
damn that, however excellent in
itself, which may be unsatisfactory
to them. These cliques are the bane
O. youthful aspirants for art honors,
and many year of valuable work
has been lost to the world because
some young genius, like tender
plant breaking through a hard,
crusty soil, has well-ligh per-
ished in his attempt to be-
come one of a number
of satellites permitted to revolve
about these artistic orbs.
No real legitimate effort is made
to educate the masses to a higher
appreciation Of art in fact, the pub
lie at large is rather discouraged,
not by formal rebuff, but by ap-
preciable sights, such as lack of
attention, Indifference to its grade
Of art needs and profound lack of
regard as to whether or not it takes
any interest in art. The result is
that the number Of those who, with
trifing encouragement; would be-
come genuine admirers and patrons
of art, continue very few in num-
Der, and the artist himself is the
loser.
ALI this is wrong; radically wrong.
| cannot blame the true, the real
artist for this lamentable condition
Of affairs, but the envious, the
croakes, the .caYilers and the
unsuccessful who, perhaps, ex.
ist in greater numbers in the
ranks Of artists than in any other
branch of art; though, heaven
knows, they abound In sufficient
quantities in every department of
life. a burden to themselves, al in
jury to others, unclean and hurtful
to society. 1t is impossible that envy
and spite and jealousy should fill the
bosom OF the true artist. for he loves
his art above himself, beyond all
else; is ready to accept and acknowl.
edge the discovery of the new and
beautiful in art, and is working in
cessantly for its advancement as
well as for the benefit of his brother
devOtees. It is to this feeling, this
sentiment in the heart of all artists
true artists-that whatever of adj
vancement may be made is due and
it is my slncerest desire that this
spirit may move all lovers of art
alike, that all may enjoy the benefits
which come from unity of purpose
and conjoined labor. If those who
form cliques and attempt to rule the
artistic world according to their
PrOcrustean ideas, were to labor
as assiduously for the welfare of
art and artists in general as they
do to maintain what they foolishly
dream the prestige their great tai
ents and vast experience enti.le |
them to, how different, how much |
more happy would be the result.
Now 1t is my idea that rotary art |
if they would not over
come the fatal obstac les which
stand in the way of genius and |
advancement, would at least over
come some of them and mitigate the
and at the same time
would tend to develop art taste and
increase the number of art lovers.
The artist Of each city in the
United States, where there are
sufficient numbers for forming a So
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