Evening star., 1896-08-15
ART AND ARTISTS

In few days M Spencer Nichols will
30 to Paxson. Va, for second visit, and
Will remain there for . couple of weeks.
Among the good studies made up in that
region on his first trip Is an effect of early
morning light In the woods. It is just be-
fore dawn. when the light 10 beginning to
steal between the leaves. The faint haze
in the air has not yet been dispelled by the
rising sun. and gives the scene a very
subtle effect. which is not easily grasped
and requires careful treatment In the
color scheme cool grays and delicate
greens predo1nipate. and there are no
etrong contrasts. but 30 numerous are the
almost impefoeptible variations on the pre-
vailing colors that one would scarcely
find two shades exactly alike in the entire
study. Mr.. Nichols Is now at work on
another canvas of a different character,
but with the same interesting color scheme.
number Of sketches of the open fields.
with the Blue Ridge mountains rising like
wall In the background with their ever
changing elusive effects OF light and shade.
Is especially true to nature. Mr. Nichols
intends to take up with him a large figure
study, which he has commenced, and to
work upon 1t there. He expects to send
this picture to the exhibition at the Cos
mos Club.
Miss Mary Berr Chapman Is in Bristol,
R. l.. giving herself an almost complete
rest, under which she is experiencing q
decided improvement in health. She ex-
poets. If she continues to gain In strength.
to return to the city when the cool wealth
er sets In, and. taking studio down
town. resume once more active work in
pen and ink and water color.
Mr.. Jules A. Dieudonne has spent con-
siderable time out at his home in Bladens-
burg during The warm weather, and has
had sufficient energy to do quite q little
sketching in the neighborhood of WASH
ingtOn. He has also commenced work on
his designs for the interior decoration of
the New Columbia Theater. chat part OF
the work having been placed in his hands.
In the theater proper the decoration will
consist mainly In ornamental designs paint
ed on the wall SO as to have the effect of
relief work, though there may be two or
three figure panels. In the vestibule how
ever. Mr.. Dieudonne Is to make an ex-
tensive figure decora ton, painting the COM
position in his studio on strips Of canvas,
which will afterward be attached to the
wall. The two figures which now occupy
places on either side OF the proscenium In
Metzerott Hall. and which are the work
Of Mr.. H. ]. Ellicott, the sculptor of the
Hancock statue, we'll the panel by
Mr.. u. 8. ]. Dunbar. now over the stage.
will be utilized in the decoration OF the
new building.
Miss Antoinette Connoly has Just return
ed from Cape May. where she has been
quite busy with number of marine Views,
She 10 very successful in outdoor work.
though most of her painting has beenl in
the line OF study heads and portraits. .-.
X
Mr.. H B. Bradford keeps himself quite
busy with illustrating in pen and Ink and
water color, and in sketching everything
that might some day be adapted to
his use. He always carries note
book and pencil with him. and wherever he
gees jots down some Of The Interesting
things that he sees. He gains in facility
by this method, and as he never likes to
make any part of mis- illustra lions without
a model to work from. he is often able to
draw on the material in his sketch books
for bits of detail. A glance a. hls note
fcok reveals sketches of dancers and bath
ers at summer resort, animals at the
Zoo. quaint bits caught on the street. and
drawings of all sorts Of subjects jostiing
elch other on its pages Mr. Bradford may
take trip up to Harper's Ferry before
long and make short stay there.
Mr.. w. w. Christmas has been working
at Ocean City. and has been busying him
self with a number of the marine scenes
for which the place affords such excellent
opportunities.
In about week Mr.. George Gibbs will
also go to Ocean City to sketch and to
complete his series Of illustrations Of sea
life, THE Old Navy and the New" Among
these drawings is one entitled Victory"
not the glorious triumph that people are
wont to associate with the word but a vio-
tory dearly bought by the loss OF men
to seem little better than defeat The
deck of the Conquering vessel is strewed
with the bodies Of the dead and wounded,
and over its shattered rail is seen the other
ship going down in The distance. AEothep
battle scene by Mr.. Gibbs is the fight be-
tween the Scraps and the Bonhomme Rich
ard. an engagement which lasted all night
ard well into the morning. The ships,
lashed together at the bows, are pouring q,
murderous fire into each other. ana SO
bright is the light which their fire casts
upon the water that the moonlight which
Is reflected beside 1t seems quite pale by
comparison. In order to got the values
more accurately, this drawing was executed
partly in color. A more peaceful scene in
the series shows the toast "Sweetbearts
and Wives Ashore being drunk on board
a man-of-war Mr.. Gibbs is also at work
on couple of drawings giving two phases
OF the office seekers life The first one
shows him newly arrived with bigh hopes
OF getting sinecure under Uncle Sam. but
the second gives us picture Of the same
man ragged and discouraged and without
the heart to go back to his native town
even II he had the money. Mr. Gibbs will
not come back from Ocean City without
bringing with him several water-color
sketches for the exhibition of the Water
Color Club in the fall.
u
The 1st of September will probably find
Mr. e. H. Miller and his family enjoyinr
the delightful climate of Shandakeo. N "
In the Catskill mountains Mr.. Miller has
been there before, and says the country
there Is practically inexhaustible so far "a
material for sketching goes, and he will
Undoubtedly bring back many Interesting
landscapes.
Mr.. Rudolph Cronau. perhaps better
known as an author than as an artist. has
also a fondness for mountain scenery. and
Is quite successful in delineating the yarv-