The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-05
THIS MORNINGS GOSSIP
BY ANNIE keNDRlck WALKER.

BY ANNIE KEN
Otto Bruch. the artist has a studio on
the top floor of the Watts building, and
while he is a recent addition to art cir
Giles. he is becoming established in the
art set. His specially is portrature, and
he has worked In Washington and New
York. He is a member of the Country
Sketch Club of the New York Academy
of Design.
Mr.. Bruch's studio walls are hung
with canvasses representing his work in
Washington and New York. Most of the
subjects are easily recognized as pro-
fessional models men and women or diff
ferent natlonalities and who give fine op-
portunities for the study of types. An
Italian subject, who has the look of
trcachery and the abandon of the Laz-
zaroni, the homeless idlers on the shores
of Naples, is particularly good. There
are other canvasses that show the art
lists ability. Besides the portraits, all of
which were done from life, the artist is
exhibiting several Venetian scenes with
their blue skies and dreamy looking
waterways.
At present Mr. Bruch Is painting n por-
trait of his wife, who is also an artist.
Mr. Bruch, in speaking yesterday of
Birmingham, reflected rather sadly upon
the lack of the art spirit. He thinks the
atmosphere too commercial and that we
are too impatient to accomplish things
without working for them. He believes
that true art requires patience and many
years of work and study, and as a class
we represent impatence and hurry.
But this probably is due to conditions
over which we have no control, and we
cannot expect to have the art atmos-
phere of Washington aud New York.
The influence of artists who believe as
does Mr.. Bruch. that art requires time,
will be felt in this city in years to
come.
Mr.. Bruch occupies one of the studios
so long used by Mrs. j. B. Raulston, and
which she gave up on her departure for
Europe.
Mrs. Raulston is still in Paris. Some of
her recent water color work was ex-
hibited at an art store during the holi-
days. There were several exquisite bits
of England, in that charming Devon dis
trict, where the artist passed several
weeks last autumn. With the excep-
ton of one small water color, seen in an
art store yesterday, the rest of the col
lection has been sold. These water colors
show the same delicacy of touch and
fidelity to art as do the porcelains by this
same artist, and reveal her talents In
a new field.
Miss Douglass, one of Birminghams
busiest artists, finds little rest, although
the rush of the holiday season is over.
Her classes are very large and she re-
ceives more orders than she can possibly
execute.
Miss Douglass has definitely decided to
go abroad in June and will sail with
Mrs. FAC Smiths party, with whom she
will make a tour of the continent. She
will then visit Italy and paint roses along
the Riviera. Miss Douglass will study
with Tsari
Miss Edna Smith is busy these winter
days in her big studio in the Watts build
ing. Her classes are large and inter-
| esting and every day she may be seen in
her studio with her long artists apron,
her palette and brushes. She Is an in
| cessant worker. Her most recent por-
trait was of the late Father OReilly,
which was presented some weeks ago to
the st. Vincents hospital
| Miss Alice Rumph who occupied a
! studio In the Watts building for several
| winters, Is greatly missed in the art
quarter. She has her studio in the AL
! len school, on Highland avenue, and Is
continuing her work in a beautiful en-
vironment. Some recent work of the
artist is on exhibition in one of the art
stores. Miss Rumph still has delightful
memories of her stay abroad and she
| has done some fine water colors of
Dutch types, and some clever, translu-
| cent scenes in Venice.