The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-05
WOMEN IN THE FIELD
 OF COMMERCIAL ART

Two American women-Mrs J. H. Ravens and Mrs Candace Wheeler--are widely and most favorably known as interior art decorators. Either of these | accomplished ladies can plan and su- perintend the interior finish of any building whatsoever. from plumbing to paper hanging. Mrs. Havenss maiden name was Mary Elizabeth Lyons. As a
 little girl she was drawn with all her l soul toward art-picture painting. Her
 father died when she was very young,
 her mothers health was extremely frail,
 so that a kindly uncle took charge of her education.
 When Mrs. Havens was a girl draw ing was not generally taught in the schools. What is more. there was prob ably not an artist in America who would have accepted a woman pupil. Artists were scarce as angels in those days, and they considered 1t beneath their dignity to take even men students very often. More and more the girl was drawn to art as she grew to wo- manhood. She said to her uncle: You better let me learn all I can about art. I may need 1t some day" And permis- sion was given.
 An English artist in New York con- sented to give the girl some instruction, and many were the innocent wiles she used to get knowledge from him. His daughters were her friends, and that helped matters on wonderfully. The younR would be artist saw Rosa Bon- heur's Horse Fair and it made her wild. She, too would be a great paint CT of animals At length she essayed to portray a COW. She toiied patiently and tremendously for weeks on that COW. When the great work was fn- ished she showed it as surprise to hn wh run a very near perfection. The teacher looked long and earnestly at the ani- maj. then. instead of the commendation the youthful artist expected, laughed
 "That cow" he said. would look so much better if she had tail"
 Sure enough, in her absorption in her task she had forgotten to add this na- tural appendage to the COW.
 Nothing daunted, though, she kept on. After her marriage and the birth of two little daughters she still main tained her studio. always learning. Her husband aided and encouraged her. From the appearance of certain oil paintings still hanging on Mrs.Havenss walls 1t is certain she would have be- come a leading American artist.
 Then her husband died, and she had in face the problem of bread for her self and children. Putting aside with the snirtt of a hero all her old aspira- tIons' Mrs. Ravens turned her art knowledge into channels that would be at once remunerative. One of her long points is the possession of both the artistic and the commercial talents, combination extremely rare
 China painting was the fad at the lime. Mrs. Ravens opened classes in that. Next came the fad for hammer ing brass-in fine language, repousse work. Mrs. Havens established classes in that. too. Pupils came from many nlaces to learn this brass decoration. Art embroidery lacemaking and wood carving were among Mrs. Havenss &C., complishments. At length she began the interior decoration of houses, in which she Is now engaged. At present a craze is on for art table ana pea linen, embroidered and belaced to the ion notch. After a tablecloth goes through the embellishing hands of Mrs. Hayens and her assisSnts it's market value is from $100 to $250. She does her own designing always.
 Mrs Havens has been very success full Resides a city home In Brooklyn, she and her daughters have pretty summer cottage on Lake George. She won success first by tnorougn prepare lion for everything she undertook to do She went always to the bottom of things. Next she kept watchful eye on line public taste in art decorations, noting every hop, skip and jump of fashion's fancies in her field and mak- ing ready to meet 1t. She seems to have a sixth sense which tells her what is in demand. and she has never known failure In anything she under took.
 Mrs Ravens has a cordial, natural manner and a fair sweet serene face.
 Yet. looking at the paintings made by her long ago, one cannot help think ing what might have been had not the brave and gifted artist been forced to hustle for bread for her children.
 No one has done more for decorative art in America than Mrs Candaee Thurber Wheeler. In the field of in- terior art decoration she was verita- bIe pioneer. Always she sought to lead her aMn sex away from the mere oyer-