New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-11
THE BROOKLYN ARI' CLUB.

THE ONLY ART ASSOCIATION IN THE CITY-DIF-
FICULTY OF BECOMING A MEMBER.
There are many artists in Brooklyn. Some of
them are of National reputation. They sell their
pictures in New-York, st. Louis and Chicago; they
exhibit at the Boston Art Club and the Pennfy[
vania Academy of Fine Arts. But many of them
have identified themselves with the artists of New
York. 1t is there they have their studios or belong
to the art associations. That they of Brooklyn
s sometimes wholly lost sight of. The city has
no studio building and little of interest to
its artists. Until few years ago the Brooklyn
artist himself hardly knew the neighboring mem
bers of his profession. To-day the artists Of
Brooklyn are well gathered together. 1t is the
Brooklyn Art Club which is giving Brooklyn, as a
city, that art individuality which it is Just begin
ming to get
1t is the only art association in the city. 1t
was founded in 197S by halfdoZen artists, promi-
nent among whom John A. Parker, and semi
annual exhibitions held at Sherks little gal
ery in Fulton-st. But for years the association
only dragged out an existence. With q member
ship of from twelve to twenty, it was too small,
and the exhibitions were too Insignificant to prove
attractive. The auction insurance system, a car
dnal principle of the society. became of itself %
destructive influence. 1t consisted in public
auction of all the pictures of the exhibition, the
proceeds of the sale going into an insurance fund
for the members benefit But the artists hardly
felt like sending their best works TO a sale where
the recompense would be so indirect.
In 1886, with the membership still below TWEEN
ty, there was thorough reorganization. The
auction insurance system was swept away, and
annual exhibitions held at the American art gal
leries took the place of the small semi-annual
ones At present the reOrganzed club is closing ITS
third season with a membership of fifty-One and
a full treasury The officers are President, Fred
ericll j. Boston; vice-president William e. Pllmp-
ton: treasurer, Frank Squier: secretary, We'd
worth WadswOrth. They are flanlled by board
of control and hanging committee of eleven
The mill through which each application for
membership must go is hard-Grinding one. IL
needs TO be 70 keep out pretenders amateurs and
semi professionals Each application must be
signed by three members. il then goes TO the
membership committee. Then the scrutiny begns.
Only professional Is are eligible and these must snow
merit But the line is indistinctly drawn between
the professional and the amateur, especially IN
the case of woman To have exhibited and sold
n picture or two does not prove a woman TO be
professional 1t must be shown that art IS her ann
and intent II she is possessed OF money' tIlis -
didicnlt to prove. A ease in point is that told re-
Gently by one of the members OF young woman We
of the Hill girl who paints exceedingly well ana
who has exhibited and sold some OF her work. DuO
she is not forced TO earn her living ny az
Tho membership committee decided tnaJ s'le
was NOT a professional. With man the dlstlhe-
ton is more plainly marked. II he Is lusu ILL., I'LL.
ing the profession, or has recently retutilCu ~ vi,
abroad # he shows originality merit ana lrec,on
from his masters, he is welcomed. Inc melIorI
sbin committee as recently appointed, consists Oh
william f. Plimpton Joseph IL. b9St0ni ~ D.
Carr William II, Snyder and Miss NJ Il. Dixon.