The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-17

A NEWSPAPER headline struck my eye. It was What Shall I Do to Sue ceed?' The article beneath was written by Mary E. Tillinghast But the lady herself Is so modest that not eyerybedy knows the name for that of one Of the most skillful and gifted artists in stain ed glass work this or any other country has produced in modern times. Indeed her work is likened to that of the masters of the craft when the stained glass art was in its glory, more than seven cen turies ago. American stained glass work Is superior to that of modern artists m this field in Europe, The reason is found largely in the different methods employed here and in Europe. There the glass is painted with the colors 1t Is to display. Here the coicrs are mixed with the mott en glass and become part of it. This beautiful, wonderful opalescent glass fabrication was revived from the medi- aeval time by the American. John La Farge. and Mary Tilnnghast was John La Farges pupil and assistant.
 In truth there Is now a considerable export trade of stained glass from Amer ica to England. That this Is true is due in no small measure to Miss Tininghast herself. She has now in her Washing ten square studio. New York. a copy of a stained glass window portrait of Mrs James Brown-Potter which adorns that iady's mansion on the Thames. It repre- sents the actress in her character or Charlotte Corday in the garden. rose in her hand, meditating the staying of Marat.
 The clipping, What Shall Do to Succeedg' reveals between it's lines how Mary Tillinghast comes to stand at the top of her craft. There is no luck about 1t. She began her professional life as a decorative artist, and in the article she tells other young women what they shall do to be successful in this attractive field, which she declares to be practically unlimited and to present noble possibih- ties for the future.
 The article begins with the Injunction. Be thorough" The decorator must learn architecture and drawing first. learn drawing from beginning to end. Eight hours a day for two years in an architecture's office or a course in a good school of design 'fs the price paid for the Fundamental training" Above all and beyond all, 1t must be a part of her very life. How does that sound for a beginning? Then immediately following this gifted and famous woman artist lays bare the very weakest. unsightliest spot in the arm of preparation of the American woman who pretends that she wants to work. Hear yei
 ''Unwiilingness to go to the bottom of things is, find. one of the many causes for failure among women. They are un- willing to give of themselves and hope to attain success without the price of hard york;
 Art has no reward for the woman smatterer and dabbler.
 Architecture and drawing are the first steps to success as a decorative artist. The woman must have to begin a nat ural sense of form, natural love of color. She must feel to her finger tips the vibrations that float to her from beautiful and harmonious colors. Then she will know how to make combinations of the right tints. Miss Tillinghast, al- though she keeps constantly on hand tons of stained glass in her workshop, sometimes falls to find exactly the tint she needs, so exquisite is her color sense. Then. rather than offend that sense, she sends to factory and has glass made, delaying her work till 1t Is at hand.
 Meantime, while the would be decora- tive artist Is putting in eight hours a day for two years in an architects office learning to draw and plan houses and rooms. she should bs spending her off timo studying tho various woods and all kinds of textile fabrics and draperies. Tn her studio one day Miss Tillinghast de- sired greatly to get a certain. light and color effect that was in her mind A friend fixed In the window a prism, which separated the sun rays into the splendid colors of the solar spectrum. Then ne took yards and yards of the most ethe- real. sheeny, shimmering, moonlight white