The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
The Future of Art i'm California.
Written for THE CALL by WILLIAM KEITH.

second is giving her deserved fame and
some if not great wealth. A number of
such instances can be cited, but are too
widely known to need repeating. Yester-
day said to an ambitious friend: Don't
publish here. Waltz go East and publish
in Boston or New York"
This was unpatriotic, I know, but my
friend is too poor to publish just for the
pleasure OF it, and I had his welfare in
view. l understand that Margaret Collier
Graham's stories OF California life are sell
ing handsomely all over the country, and
even in England. They deserve it. They
are charming tales, told in chaste and
beautiful phrase, but you would hardly
put them above the work Of Mr.. Bierce.
The difference in sales is the difference be-
tween an Eastern and local imprint on
the title page. l mention these facts about
literature because they are better known
to the public, and at the same time they
serve my purpose in illustrating the lack of
CALIFORNIA; appreciation for Californian
art.
California artist-ln whatever depart.
ment-labors under two serious obstacles
in his battle for recognition. The first
disadvantage is that he was born in
America. The same training, talents and
work, combined III man fortunate enough
to be born in Europe, give him decided
advantage in the public eye and purse.
George Innes labored under the misfortune
of being an American. The last time I
saw him he told me in confidence that he
sold bis pictures to the middle class of
purchasers. There was and is no better
landscape painter than Times. yet the
wealthy and cultured people of the East
passed by his pictures and went to Europe
to buy. Only among that class OF pur-
chasers who could not afford the luxury of
paintings with foreign names on them and
still had yearning toward art treasures
could he find buyers for canvases that
WILL one day, am sure, be valued among
the very best.
OF course, the Caiifornian's second dis
advantage is that of being born in Califor
MIA. Our wealthy men go to the Eastern
markets for their pictures, overlooking
many that are as intrinsically good as the
best that the Eastern markets can afford.
We are always worshiping something far
OH. Ills distance lends enchantment,"
ETC., and it is because OF this fact that Cali
fornia still lacks united public spirit in
other matters than those of art and lltera-
ture. We must have faith TO move
mountains, faith in ourselves and our
nelghbors; and we must be able to see our
own wealth if we would convince the
world that we have any.
Eastern people who visit the San Fran
cisco studios are surprised at what they
see. They have always known of Califor-
mas gold, and of later years OF her or
anges-but California painters! The diff
Guilty IS that not enough of our visitors
from the East can be induced to look into
San Francisco studios. rhe few who do,
and are discriminating, find themselves
repaid Tor their pains, and sometimes take
PACK canvas or two and hang them be-
SIDE their pictures with foreign names.
And the contrast between the canvas that
mas paid duty at the custom-house and
the one that had no duty to pay is not SO
great, believe, and seldom to the disad-
vantage of the latter
All that l have said so far mean to be
as an introduction to my closing para
graphs, wherein desire to say, first, that
California art is appreciated to-day little
better than it was yesterday-though not
so well as 1t was IN the sixties. California
art is better than it ever was, and it re-
spects itself more than it ever did. We
are proud OF our art school, and the out
SIDE world is beginning to respect it. Still
the hope for California art lies in the
future, some little distance in the future,
perha PSI mean the hope of recognition
Tor California art. And it finds its great
est hope in the native Californian. 1t is a
FASHION in some quarters to poke fun at
the spirit which animates the native son