The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-11-27
ART IN Hawaii.
Kilohana Commended by
a Cultured Traveller.
Surprised at the Work Produced
Here-Marked Improvement
Since the League Began.

A stranger, man of culture and of
no small ability as an artist, passing
through Honolulu happened here dur
ing one of the exhibitions of the Kilo-
hama Art League.
The felicitous commentator this
gentleman expressed to the members
of the League and others was a source
of pleasure to those who have watch
ed the progress of this little band of
art workers among us.
Said he: when l return to my
colleagues in the old country and tell
them of this little exhibition away off
in the middle of the Pacific, they will
be very much amused, but when | tell
them of the quality of the work here
shown they will become interested,
and with me will be glad to learn that
such good seed has been sown in a
field so naturally adapted to Art in
Natures surroundings.
cit is of pleasing interest to find such
high standard in the work exhibited
and one feels surprised until he learns
that many have studied in the art
centers of the old world; have exhibit
ed in the great exhibitions where merit
alone admits, and have brought to this
little corner of the earth their quota
of culture and art knowledge and have
here set up their standard for Art"
This is but the expression of one
observing tourist, but it carries with it
much that has been noted by those
here who have watched the progress Of
this organization from a modest be-
ginning to its present size.
The present exhibition shows for
more than the number of works cata-
logued. In conversation with Mr..
Hitchcock, the President of the League,
he said: "In many ways l consider
this the most successful exhibition we
have yet given. Our walls are not
as profusely covered with studies and
efforts in color, as was our last Au-
tumn, but in my estimation there is
marked advance in looking for the
True in Art. There is an evident striv-
ing for the fulfillment of an idea-the
embodiment of feeling. There are
more pictures and fewer studies
"My only regret is that contributing
and other members do not seem to be
fully alive to the Importance of these
exhibitions.
'Tn the history of organizations of
this character it has always been that
the work necessary to success desolves
upon a few and thus are opened those
undesirable fountains of personality
and petty jealousies that endanger the
usefulness if not the stability of the
society While the Kilohana Art
League has been Almost uniformly free
from this danger, still there have come
to my knowledge certain facts that |
cannot afford to let pass without men
ton, as the ultimate good of the League
demands that we put aside petty de-
tails of personal feeling and hold to-
gether for the fulfillment of our aims
as society in which as one of its orr
ginators, you may be sure / am thor
oughly interested.
"Iwould like to see every contributing
member begin on a number or WORKS
for the next exhibition even now while
the present one is in progress. Let
my next exhibition picture be under
way while other work may be carried
on.
81 would have these exhibitions be-
come as eagerly looked forward to as
are like affairs in older countries.
eff it mayhap will be anything OF
an incentive | will state here that al
ready | myself have a couple OF can
vases underway which l hope to have
ready to exhibit at our next Spring
exhibition
While it is thus shown that Mr.
Howard Hitchcock is thoroughly IL
earnest and perhaps is little apt tt
feel differences too keenly glance a
the walls of the present exhibition
shows much painstaking work and
pleasing variety of treatment OF Amos
exclusively Island subjects and ton'
that should be an encouragement Il
every member of this organization.
That the League has advanced cal
be gainsaid by none.
1t has widened it's scope and will
no detriment to the semi-annual exhl
billions has offered to it's members ;
pleasing variety of entertainment.
The high standard of those givel
the past year have fully met the ex
pectations of the friends of the Ar
League and are an earnest of thos
scheduled for the ensuing year.
Art in Hawaii nei may be young
But if the healthy vigor of its infancy
and the earnestness Of its votarie
count for aught it may be that thes
Islands may one day be the cente
of culture-the middle meeting groun
where the delicate decorative art o
the workers under the shadow of F'uJ
comes into touch with the more moder
art life of Europe and America, wher
NAV be born a new school OF ar
moulded upon and drawn from all tina
is good in art work and adapted [
this soft, dreamy, poetic Paradise Q
the Pacific.