Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-24
PLUCKY AMERICAN ARTIST.
ecure in France Privileges Denied
to NnfiXe Women.

to Native
Mrs. Hutchinson Is a young American
artist who, having studied and worked in
her native land for ten years, went to Paris
to find out what rank her work would take
when brought into competition with that
done in the great art center of the world.
She first worked in the Julien studios for
Ave months, relates Harper's Bazaar, but her
great desire was to copy in the national
factory at Sevres. To her dismay she found
It was an unheard-of thing for even French
people to be accorded such a privilege. Her
work had been seen, however, by a man
who at once recognized her ability, and he
made a few suggestions whereby he thought
| she might attain her wish. Following this
friendly advice she finally received the de-
sired permission, but with the understanding
that she should work in some out-of-the-way
corner where the fact would not become
known to a curious public, She was thus
installed in the office of the conservator OF
the museum, himself an artist, whose many
hints and criticisms proved invaluable to
her. In the first few weeks he often asked
her why she washed out her work so often,
why she did not let pass the slight difference
between it and her model-it would never be
noticed; to which she always replied that as
she had gained admission to copy, hers must
be facsimiles. Seeing that as she was not to
be discouraged and was undaunted by hard
work, this gentleman began to take an inter-
est in her and as a peculiar mark of approba-
ton she was presented with half a dozen
pieces of undecorated Sevres porcelain,
which she had the pleasure and advantage
of decorating there, and which she now
treasures as her most valuable possessions.
So far Mrs. Hutchinson is the only artist
in this country to decorate little bits OF
enamel to be used for pins and rings; such
work has to be done Will the aid OF a mag
nifying glass and, when finished, very much
resembles the delicate white figures of the
cameo. The firing Of some of this delicate
work has led to her making the acquaint-
ance of an old Frenchman, who is the best
enameler in this country, having a knowl-
edge of peculiar tinting which renders him
an autocrat in hts line. He has always re-
fused to teach any one; no apprentice, no
matter how large a sum be offered, could
ever secure a foothold In that workshop.
While Mrs. Hutchinson would be waiting
for some of her work to be fired she kept
her eyes open, with the result that one day
she asked the old fellow to let her help him.
He refused point blank, but she ~tactfully
insisted, until he finally allowed her to try,
beginning to give her instructions, etc. She
cut him short by asking If he thought she
had spent so many hours there without
learning some or MS Secrets. Inc oulcoHe
OF 1t all is that this skillful artist has been
at work in a shop where the thermometer
stands at from 100 to ITO degrees all through
the summer, and having gained the old
mans respect by her quickness and perse-
~verance, is now able to enamel the finest
watch or other jewelry in a way known here
only by her master.
But the most amazing result is that she,
an American artist. educated in America
and living in America, should be asked to
work for one of the leading china factories
Of France. She was first asked to do a figure
piece suitable for plate decoration; this was
submitted, with her name at one side OF the
plate, and now this pattern has been dupli-
Gated to sell at s25 apiece. Since then other
orders have come to her and now she is en-
gagged upon six border patterns, which are
to be ready for delivery in time for the
coming holiday trade.