The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-12-19

\ DUNG ARTISTS SUCCESS IN A NOVEL
LINE OF WoRK.-Miss Laughed,
whose artistic work is described in
the following article from Johnston s
Journal, is cousin to Miss Ollie
Lawhead, of Durbannah, and has
several times visited here: Miss
Rose Eva Laughed, of Uniontown,
Fayette county Pa, is a graduate of
Uniontown Seminary. Although but
% years of age, this talented young
lady has attracted good deal of at
tention by her inimitable etchings,
some of which were exhibited at the
recent Novelties" Exhibition in
Philadelphia. Since etching has
been revived as modern art, and
the fashion for etchings is growing,
more than ordinary interest has been
shown in this class of work-giving,
as it does, the artists own handi-
work without the Intervention of the
engraver, and without the chance of
being "cheapened' by an indefinite
multiplication by patent mechani-
cal processes. But, while Miss
Laughed gives us some remarkably
fine etchings, she also produces
something novel and extremely
pleasing. Two samples of her work
attracted great attention at the
Novelties" as they were nothing
less than fine etching upon mush-
rooms; or, to be more precise, scam
go cutting" upon fungi Miss Laug-
heads process may be briefly de-
scribed as follows; The fungus Sc
lected for a picture is smooth and
white on the surface, and it's consis-
tence is little harder than cork. A
slight cut into the white surface
with knife reveals lower stratum of
brownish color, and the color deep
ems as the artist cuts deeper down
until it becomes nearly black. This,
then shows that any shade between
white and black or dark brown NAV
be obtained simply by guaging the
depth of the cut. The instruments
used by Miss Laughed are a small
penknlfe, a hairpin, steel pen, a
crochet needle and smaller needles,
and a single small wood carving
chisel. With these simple tools the
youthful artist produces most re-
markable pictures, the effect of the
contrasting shades being soft and
pleasing, while her drawing is be-
You'd criticism. One of the intag-
lios exhibited was an eight-inch copy
OF photograph of Miss Mary An
derson, executed for Mr.. Lynch, of
the Madison Square Theatre, and
another was an excellent picture of
"a Roman Lady" 1t may be men
toned here that it is very difficult
to obtain the fungi suitable for this
purpose and in proper shape, as the
work is of so delicate nature as to
demand the very best material.
Large tree fungi are selected, of the
kind known botanically as polypori,
which grow horizontally from tree
trunks, and under the surface of
which is an almost fiat semicircle
Miss Laughed has been engaged
upon this work for two years, and as
it is natural gift with her she has
been proficient from the first. She
is an excellent painter, and this
novel process of etching is the result
of her artistic instinct. The praise
given to her work by the press and
the public would indicate that it
will become very popular and will
take high rank in the art world
1t is pleasing to see, in these days
when woman is charging her sphere
in every walk of life, that so inter
esting an artistic innovation should
be presented by girl scarcely out
of her teens. There is vast field
for women in artistic matters, and
our sisters seem disposed to take adj
vantage OF it.