The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-12
wa m ANY people passing along
IVA W Hennepin avenue the
Iva IN last week or two have
W. h fingered with regretful
X " N chances at the excava-
ton and rising walls of

Iva IN last week or two have
W. 81 fingered with regretful
X " Ii chances at the excava-
ton and rising walls of
the new building under
way at 10, and those who happened
along as the shabby brick walls of the
old studio building were being demol-
ished felt even more poignant regrets
Minneapolis has few buildings old
enough or of sufficient interest to
have any memories worth preserving.
and this low, plain building almost
hidden by it's larger and very coma
monplace surrounding narts OF trade
was one of the few 1t could very
properly be called the cradle of art,
as it was the first permanent home of
the Minneapolis School of Fine Arts.
then a nursing of the art society, it
self not more than a year or two old.
The school had been opened in a
dwelling house in the spring of 1856
fist who had proved his artistic IN
heritance and had done considerable
meriterious work, but had not yet
won his spurs, as one of the leaders.
<Strhe school was unexpectedly sue
cessful from the first and it soon be-
came evident that some properly
equipped place must be provided for
It. At this juncture MIR. Walker Of
fered the Society of Fine Arts the
use of the ground at 719 Hennepin
among the society members and q
few others. The small sum secured
was made to provide a rough but
commodious and comfortable shelter,
with the necessary studio light, thru
the generosity of the builder, Barclay
Cooper, who practically donated the
labor.
society's Tenancy Brief
The new building was very con-
venient and was used for the meetings
of the art society and the lectures
provided for the membership. 1t was
not necessary to occupy the building
long. for luxurious and more commo-
society by the library board, when
the library building was erected.
These were occupied late in 1889 and
the old school building was taken by
Douglas Volk as his studio and used
by him until he returned to New
York In 1898.
1t is rather curious that most OF the
first students of the school still live in
this vicinity or thru family ties keep
in close touch with Minneapolis. The
first student enrolled was Miss Eliza
beth Norris, we'll known as teacher
and artist, who worked in the school
in all three of it's homes, the early
one in the frame house adjoining the
library on Hennepin avenue, the old
studio building and the library.
Among the OCnerS VINO came INTO the
classes at an early period were Mines.
j. A. Kennedy, w. w. Folwell, Knuppe,
w. H. Hinkle, Ernest Smith, (then
Miss Julia Walker) Kirkham and Ger
trude j. Barnes, Misses Jane Pollock,
Alice Murdoch of Saltwater, Gertrude
Man. Jessie Ellis, Alice Griswold, Mary
L. Lockwood. Conant of La Crosse and
Alma Andrus; Messrs. Ben Eggleston
William Htlgar, Dallas Laird and Bert
Paquin.
Douglas Volk's Early Shop.
In the old building as studio. Mr..
Volk did a considerable amount of
painting and the lines along which his
art was to develop manifested them
selves clearly. He painted number
of portraits. among them those of E.
j. Phelps, Mrs. w. H. Hinkle, J. S.
Bradstreet, the children of M. r.
Bowen and others. A picture that at
tracted much attention was 1.-THE
Bride" for which young Minneapolis
woman noted for her blooming lowell
ness posed, as she did for nearly all
of Mr.. Volk's pictures during his Min
neapolis residence. She was Miss
Carol Thompson, now Mrs. Leon
Crockett of Washington. Other fav-
orite subjects were various phases of
Puritan life. in which Mr.. Volk has
done some Of his best work.