Charlevoix county herald., 1907-11-09

they are stamped with that seal, pub
lie opinion will be the high priest that
will christen them and the world will
recognize their worth.
Every surrounding of art is refined
and its atmosphere pure A woman's
touch is as delicate, her eye as true
and her hand as firm as that OF
man. Yet 1t is not the delicate touch,
the true eye, that speaks the artist,
The workmen who reproduce beauti-
full statutes in marble have that. 1t
is not these things that bespeak the
grand result. 1t is the seeing Of these
things in the minds eye before they
have taken shape in the clay. II Is
being able to feel these things in ad-
vance, as the poet feels in his soul
his verses, as the orator feels his
theme, waxing him eloquent to move
the hearts of others. We must feel
TO bring forth work of art 1t must
be in our minds to conceive 1t first
before emancipating 1t from the silent
clay. Themes of beauty and of grace
must chase each other through the
brain.
The mind must be filled with noble
purposes and beautiful shadows, ideal
forms, majestic, noble groups waiting
to be set free. All of these must
hover around and inspire the artist.
even though he or she may never
have the means to carry any of them
out to perfection in the marble or
the bronze. The artists greatest work
ing tools lie idle-when he sits ap-
parently idle, "brooding over his
theme" sometimes for weeks, for
months. Beside this work which is
being done by the brain, the mind,
the soul, the working out in the clay
seems to be almost mechanical.
The field for art is broadening every
year. Our forefathers had no time or
means for these luxuries, for luxuries
they certainly are, not necessities.
Wealth is accommodating and the rich
like to surround themselves with
beautiful and costly things. People
of refinement and culture try to sat
isfy for themselves this thirst for ele-
CANT and artistic surroundings. Even
the very poor yearn for them and in
their squalid homes of poverty gaudy
prints and cheap plaster casts of i'm
possible figures adorn their walls,
attesting to their desire-their reach
ing out-for something beyond, bet
ter than the toll and monotony OF
their daily lives. Their tastes are
slowly becoming educated, and the
public schools, great factor in this
cause, on a broader and more gener-
GUS plan than of old, are gradually
advancing art in the minds OF the
working people. The once barren
walls of the public schools are now
Illuminated with the finest engravings
and photographs of celebrated paint
ings and their halls are adorned with
casts Of treasured statutes of ancient
art.
If woman's work is as good as
that of man she will receive equal
recognition-even more prompt recog.
milton, for men are surprised when
we have the courage to compete with
them and more quickly recognize our
ability. They are not the tyrants some
would make them, but kind and good
and generous to us If they are made
to feel that we are not simply posing
but are really seriously in earnest.
There are, no doubt, some few men
who are narrow-minded and unjust
and who would keep down the aspira.
tions of woman, but if her work bear
the stamp Of genius, like truth, 1t will
not be downed.