The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-05-29
The ART EXHIBIT.


The most prominent feature in the
Kilohana Art League spring exhibition
as usual is the landscapes section in oil
Confined to the work of half dozen
artists ii is by no means lacking in
variety or talent and embraces a wide
scope of subjects, Japanese. Mainland
and Hawaiian. The watercolors range
farther to Europe but are to be dealt
with separately
d. Howard Hitchcock, the resident
artist who has done so much towards
depicting the beauties of these islands
is to the fore with some twenty canvas
es nearly all of which may be classed
as finished paintings. Year after year.
Mr.. Hitchcock with painstakng work
in the actual field has acquired more
and more of the actual spirit that
haunts these semi-tropical lands, until,
apart from the mere depictment of
golden crescent sands or varying palms
against a sapphire sky. he has infused
into his work an element that stamps
1T as Hawaiian, that blends with the
colors much of the charm that attracts
the stranger and binds the resident to
these shores and seas.
Mr.. HitchcoCks first fame arose from
his volcano pictures which are never
| theless not his best work. As careful
| studies of the glow of volcanic fires or
| the tortuous curvings of lava they
are emminently successful. but aside
| from that the vast volcanic fury and
| force has been treated in picturesque
| but too puny manner to ever make
| these Canvases great Then came a Sc
| ries of sun glare on coral sand, dazzling
| against azure seas and skies where
| wind clouds scudded southwark, these
were masterful yet crude compared to
| the later work of the artist. 1t is such
| canvases as "Fleeting Sunshine"
| Drifting Shadow and Morning
Light" that make the possession of
| Hitchcock's canvases a matter to be
proud or envious Of The poetry of the
| semi-trOpics rather than the dazzle of
| the noon hours when in certain sur
roundings Hawaii assumes an equa-
| torial prospect, is the theme that Hitch
| cock has now adopted and portrays
with rare freshness and delicacy The
| "NOcturne, Moonlight in the Valley" is
| beautifully interpreted but is stamped
| with one of the artists weaknesses,
| lack of foreground, indecision in one
| corner that lowers the value of the
whole composition. "Rambon Falls is
lapse to the older style and while
emphatic lacks the subtlety Of other
| subjects. "PunchbOWl from Kewalo
Marshes is a panelled canvas well
chosen in composition and well painted
| with a truth that shows the study was
eschewed in the painting. The back
ground of mountain and sky is excellent
| the cocOanuts handled beyond cavil
| Only the foreground is again some
what uncertain.
| Theodore WOres needs no introduction
| to Honolulu art lovers and his canvas
of the Samoan girl making kawa. all
| ready reviewed, is constantly the main
| feature of the exhibition. 1t is great
| ~ TO be regretted that the main wall
| of the art league is aside from night
| views absolutely impossible as a me-
dunn for viewing or exhibiting anything
| but the smallest and smoothest of can
vases. To get a good light of the kawa
| girl is not to be obtained Oceans
| strand by Wores is a charmingly de-
| licate vista of ripping waves and sandy
beach, full of atmosphere and feeling,
1t is only few square inches of paint
ed canvas but, with a Rural Village.
Japan strikes the purest note of art in
the room. AN old fashioned garden in
Iarrytown" shows that Mr. Wores
happiness of execution and fidelity of
| color is by no means confined to one
held, that it is not an art phase but the
| outcome of a first ranker In Honolulu
Mr. WOres has shown the sunshine of
Monterey and of Hawaii, the more tro-
peal foliage and lights of Samoa and
! the sort atmosphere of Japan with lines
of demarcation as distinct as the work
of japanese or a Partisan artist as far
as true values and local color is con-
cerned. Mr.. Wores, fortunately for his
many admirers is an artist who paints
| what he sees, not what he thinks he
sees. Miss Grace Robertson has sew
eraI interesting canvases and should be
| welcomed to the local cult as a decided
acquisition. Several of her pictures
show marked individuality and true
sense of color. Lau Sheen still shows
advancement in technique and with
tohlhg down of his somewhat crude pal
| cite will soon achieve his ambition