The Butte inter mountain., 1903-10-30
WILLIAM R. BARNES
AMERICAN ARTIST
SOMETHING OF MAN WHO Is BE-
COMING A NOTABLE FIGURE IN
THE COMIC OPERA WORLD.
he DESIGNS THE COSTUMES
Ravishing Clothes Worn by the Merry,
Merry Chorus Girl Are Planned
by Barnes.
CORRESPONDENCE INTER MOUNTAIN.

New York, Oct. 3o.--While the fair
maids in King Dodo,' Peggy From
Paris" THE Sultan OF Suu'' and "The
Prince of Pisen" are enjoying The ap-
p!ause of mutitudes, William X. Barnes
sits in his studio in West Twenty
street, day after day, turning out designs
for the new costumes to he worn when the
management decides a change is due.
Mr.. Barnes is an Australian by BIRTH with
strain of Hibernian not at all carefully
concealed about him. His studio is COM
bnation of the workroon, the shrine OF all
aesthete and the country store, where one
can get everything from a diamond ring to
a red flannel shirt.
His big table with water color paper,
pencil sketches. brushes, coors, palettes,
scattered over it stands in front of the
window where he can lure the overworked
north light TO his bidding as long as it
lasts. Even in the day time, however. he
uses the electric and gas lights, as it is
absolutely necessary for him to get effects
OH materials of varying shades and tints,
OF every kind of illumination.
Something From Everywhere.
The appointments OF the studio are in
teresting There are copies of old prints
from European galleries, bits OF draperies
from the Orient-an elastic term which
means any place from Egypt TO Salamanca,
or perhaps east Of the Bowery-tall vases
filled with property flowers, loin cloths
from the Fiji islands and gauze from
Venice and Switzerland. There are jew
eled chains from the shops in the Rue dc la
Paix laces from the Brussels arcadcs. and
rosaries from Notre Dame lntermingled
are faces known and unknown of stars.
Some of the most interesting bits OF
property in this studio are the silk pieces
concealed in out OF the way hooks which
are taken out by the handful and exhibited
under the electric light for inspection.
These are the color schemes from which
Mr.. Barnes gets hs ideas. There are sun
set sheens, queer blnes, greens and yell
lows. undcrweaves OF contrasting shades.
cloudcd silks satins, deep piled velve,s,
handmade laces. all exhibiting some un-
usual color weaves.
Artists Handicaps.
Mr.. Barnes takes these pieces in his
hands and deity combines shade as a
woman might for silk lap robe or some
other piece of work where many bits OF
material are put together
THAT is one difference between this
country and the other side" said Mr..
Barnes in answer to question concerning
materials.
There, when an artist desires an out
OF the way color, all he has to do is to
show his samples TO a dealer and they are
obtained for him of the exact color desired,
for If they are not in stock they are dyed.
Here one must use what is in the stores.
1t is almost impossible to get just what
one wants, ii that something happens to
DE an ont of the way material or shade
He waved in the air long white scarf
plentifully besprinkled with huge polka
dots, about the size OF poker chips.
Paris the Place.
"That's about the only thing you can get
done here he went on you can have
spots and squares put on your material,
but ripple OF turquoise under slyery
surface followed-"if | should try. TO get
material and color like that where would
/ go!" He shrugged his shoulders. Paris
is the place for those things. You can
pick up all sorts OF fascinating materials
there that you don't even know the name
of-oriental things and experiments III
weaving and all that. Here after you have
run the gamut OF silk, velvet, satin, and
lace there is nothing LETT except spangles.'
"As a general thing how many sketches
do YOU send for play"
"Of course that depends on the number
in the chorus and the changes. For the
new Prince of Pisen' | sent III 50
Sketches
''How many can you do in day.
"Oh. il it is good working day, that is
one without too many interruptions, |
might design ten costumes
The Interruptions TO Mr.. Barnes work
are many His studio is a dropping.in
place for managers, stars, show girls
chorus men and other artists and design
ers. 1t is seldom that he has a free work
ing hour but he compromises by leaving
his visitors to entertain themselves, an
swcr their own questions and laugh at
their own jokes while he throws bits OF
color on his paper with unerring brush, III
the midst of confusion. As one manager
plaintiyely remarked:
with one stroke OF his brush Barnes
can make costume cost anywhere from
$50 to $Ioo after you think it is all fin
ished."
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