The San Francisco call., 1904-04-28
Art Under Difficulties.

There are several instances of men
and women deprived by nature or ac-
cident Of their arms having recourse
to the lips as a means of earning
livelihood. One of the most remark
able is the case of James Carter of
Coggeshall. Essex, who at the age of
20 was crippled for life by fall of
forty feet from a tree. Paralyzed
from the head downward, he was
compelled for the rest of his life
TO lie on his back. He, how
ever, taught himself to draw and
paint and even to etch with the
mouth. His most famous picture was
THE Rat Catcher and His Dogs" and
of this Landseer declared that he had
never seen a finer piece of drawing
than the white terrier. More recently
we have Mile. Aimee Rapin, who,
born without arms, painted with her
feet: and Francois de Mentholen, who
was also born without arms and with
only one leg, but who, in spite of this
terrible affiiction, succeeded in winning
the first Raigecourt-Goyon prize in the
Salon some years ago.
Bartram Hiles' career, however, if
not unique, is none the less interesting
on that account, for it is a remarkable
instance of what pluck and persever-
ance will accomplish under conditions
which would overwhelm most men;
but probably Bartram Hiles alone
knows at what cost the splendid re-
suit we now see has been attained.
Bartram Hiles was born in Bristol,
and in his early childhood developed
a strong love for drawing. which, curl
ously enough, became more intense
when, at the age of 8 years, he met
with the tramcar accident which de-
prived him of both arms. So he set
to work to train his mouth to hold and
use a pencil, and after some months
constant practice he had the immense
satisfaction of being able to draw with
a strong touch and TO write quite
legibly with his mouth. 1.-TWO years
after the accident 1 could write and
draw as well as most boys of my own
age,'' says Mr.. Hiles, but it took me
six years to acquire freedom of line
and touch" AS a matter of fact he
had accomplished a great deal more
than this, for it was when he was only
10 years old (two years after his ac-
cidenD that he gained a ''first-class
excellent" in the second grade for
freehand drawing at the School of Art
he was attending in his native city.
From this time the young artist made
rapid and remarkable progress. Sent
to attend the art class at the Merchant
Venturers' Technical College. Bristol,
he successfully passed several exami-
nations, the subjects including model
ing. In those early days, and in later
years, Mr.. Hiles made a point of
studying every branch of art, prefer
ring to do this rather than to keep one
particular line. He took a first-class
certificate for modelling. He used to
beat up the clay with his chin and
mouth, and finish off with modelling
tools held in his mouth This, as may
be imagined, is not pleasant work, and
Mr.. Hiles, having obtained his certifi-
cate, has practically given up this
branch of his art.
At 16 the artist exhibited his first
picture and succeeded in finding a
purchaser. But though his career was
now fairly started, it still required
nearly six years of work before he OBJ
tanned that absolute control of his
mouth and the muscles of his neck
which was essential to his success.
While still a student at the Technical
College, Bristol Mr.. Hiles succeeded in
winning his national scholarship, val
ued at 100 guineas. and tenable for two
years; and during his stay at South
Kensington he carried off several val
liable prizes in open competition.
Mr.. Hiles now went to Paris, where
he studied for some time, but receiving
a commission from his native city to
paint a series of thirty water colors
for an exhibition to be held in Bristol.
he returned to London to carry out the
work. Twenty-seven out Of the thirty
paintings found purchasers, among
the latter being Queen Alexandra
(then Princess of Wales).
Mr.. Hiles is an exhibitor at the Royal
Society Of British Artists, the Royal
Institute of Painters in Water Colors.
the Dudley Gallery and other we'll
known galleries. Choice specimens of
his work were acquired by the late
Queen, and also by Mr.. Walter Crane,
Mrs. CORVALLIS West and many we'll !
known connoisseurs Of art.-London