The San Francisco call., 1901-11-17
What the
Local World
Of Art
Is DOING

OF her creeping dress II were, she can
number away up in the teens the celeb
rifles in various lines who drew their frst
inspiration from her sun-kissed soil
Famous for her beautiful women. Sybil
Sanderson standing as a fair representa-
tive, renowned for her contribution to
the world of music and of drama. she
can count in numbers requiring two hg-
ures the men and women whose efforts
in the literary field have immortalized
their signatures Stevenson, Marx Twain,
Bret Harte and many others whose
names are quite as familiar al began
their first serious work here. and now It
remains for the new century to lift the
veil OF comparative oblivion from the
originality. talent and genius encom-
passed in our circle of art and artists.
That the new century is doing its duty
In this is apparent, for now and then We
hear f1attering things and once IN while
the Paris Salon stamps approval on tns
work of the local brushes The last 20
win popular favor and also an enviabi0
sobriquet in New York is Charles Roho
Peters, who has been called the "Brer
Harte painter of the West" We all know
what that meanS-a name with many dd-
jectives, a style original, concise, vivid.
dainty, and. withal, subtleness that
appeals to the intelligence to weave tn
own supplement to the story already tod
a painter of stories Perhaps the great
est story the brush of Peters ever told
Is that of the haunted house-a painting
which recently caused so much comment
in the Sorosis Club exhibition and -
now scanned and discussed from the walls
of the Bohemian Club gallery. The sub
Ject, an old dOmicile, a fOrty-ntner IN
appearance, sagging and reeking with
age, stands on the slope of the mountain,
where the road curves; the atmosphere II
that Of chilly middle night or early morn
ing, and one can almost hear the winds
sweep around the weather-beaten tim
bers; dim light appears timidIy through
tiny paned window; PERHAPS with its
assistance some new horror is being en-
acted behind that age-wOrn door. AT any
rate, decidedly spooky spirit invades the
canvas. 1t is story cIeverly told, this
haunted house bathed in moonlight
Peters will probably have number OF
Monterey scenes for the club, for ne has
been working very steadily this summer
and autumn IN his cozy little home IN
the old capital
j.. w. LIawson, the portrait artist, -
back from Del Monte and is hard at work
IN his studio. This year Mr.. ClaWSOn.
who Is always lucky in securirg beauti-
ful subjects to inspire his artistic soul.
is more to be envied than ever, for even
that StatueSque beauty Miss Joan Haden-
feldts whose portrait was the sensation
OF last years club exhibition, viii have
rival in Miss Ruth Kirkpatrick, a
Salt Lake belle who has JOurneyed 10 our
coast for the winter months.
Not only has Miss kirkpatrick a COM
PiSAiOu VI pure transparent OllNe, LudE
will spur any artist on to his highest ef-
forts, but she has an easy pose and a
CHARACTERISTIC tht Of the chin which Is
admirable MIR Clawson, contrary TO his
usual habit, is painting the costume in a
riot OF color, royal purple gown, over
which is worn an elaborate embroidered
kimono of red, trimmed with cape and
fox.
The effect with her dark beauty is en-
The work, which will be completed for
this coming club exhibition, is likely 10
give the artist a long stride toward fame
a state of completion the life sized Dor
trait OF the little daughter of the late
Z Hugn IeVlS; another OF a young Del
Monte matron, who poses in a gown 81
wonderful purple, and this, which Is also
for the club; will be entitled "A sym
busy than ever this winter. His studio
IS literally filled with canvases, beautiful
California scenes. One of the most recent
from his hand is an early dawn. or
Morning Star" A pool of water in the
foreground reflects hazily the reeds firing
ing its edge. An atmosphere Of repOse -
Inere; all nature IS asleep, even the tiny
star over the tops of the trees in the dis
tance shines dimly through transparent
cloud.
Beautiful in composition Is this canvas.
veritable poem of nature
Mr.. Keith says that of all the canvases
Star is his favorite, for it appeals to
the highest thought of man. Students in
black and white would do well to take
few ideas from an original etching of the
famous Zorfn, little rarity which is on
exhibition In Vickery's gallery on Post
street..
There are also several Wnstlers In the
same gallery which are well worth study
A few clean strokes of pencil, If deliv-
cred in the right way tell the story with
lar more strength than the labored ef-
forts of hours. Zorin or a Whistler in
its very simplicity is restful.
Tom Hill has several recent Yosemitea
Many of the artists who have come
back to the city Tor winter are delVtnx
through Chinatown. for the field for art
is almost limitleSs. Almost any day in
the alleys in front Of the joss houses, at
each turn and angle, sits an artist. stu
dent or sometimes teacher with a class
of two or three, all painting Chinatown.
y some in detail, others leaving more to the
imagination; some in soft tones, others
may seem. three artists all at work on
one subject will each see a distinctly diff
ferent color. An old wall. for instance.
will by one be painted gray, by another
a purple tint, and perhaps a third may
get it blue BY this means nature has
happily provided against monotony in our
The California Camera Club announces
that in conjunction with the San Fran
cisco Art Association the second San
in the galleries OF the Mark Hopkins In
, stttute OF Art, beginning January and
! continuing for two weeks The object OF
tographic work which shall best exempli-
fy artistic feeling and execution, without
regard to particular schools or fads. A
special invitation to exhibit is extended to
Eastern and foreign photographers. Tho
possibilities OF photography have so
broadened and developedAin the last few
saars, and there Is such an open field to
exercise individual taste and JudgmenC,
that this exhibition Is sure to be full OF
artistic merit and pictorial interest.
A little incident Of an ambitious art
student Is going the rounds. A jealous
member Of the life class was strolling
along Kearny street, his mind filed with
lights. shadows, harmony. breadth. and
his subconscious dreams of Paris and
fame, when just ahead of him he espied
/, the very person whom he fancied the
fates had sent for a model to inspire him
and send his name into the age beyond.
n An old. old man. very erect but gray.
and face upon which nature had painted
vividly the struggles. the pleasures and
} pain Of many years
He noticed also, this student Of art and
human nature as well. that a peculiar
gleam shot from his steel gray eyes and
the shaggy white brows shook Gef1antiy