Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-25
Art Notes
BY ELIZABETH wAGGONER


rem E. Rollins now on view at
Il the Steckel Gallery is one of I'M
usual interest, owing to the pictur-
esque subjects the artist has found In
the Indians of the Southwest and the
country in which they live, as well as
to the technical excellence of his work,
Mr. Rollins has been one of those to
realize the significance to our art OF
the earth, and in the years which he
and his wife have spent among these
children of the plains he has gained
a rare understanding of primitive hu-
man nature. AS Natalie Curtis says,
1.-THE American sculptor, painter or
poet who gives enduring form to the
memory of this passing people, carries
into the field of art the noble work OF
our museums whose studies and col
lections form a monumental testimony
to the life of aboriginal America"
The exhibition comprises some thir-
ty-flve canvases, the majority being
landscapes, street scenes and STUDIES
of the picturesque dwellings of the
Southwest, all showing a quality OF
imagination that touches them with
beauty and charm, but the interest cen
tiers in the group of studies showing
characteristic types of the Taos, Hopi,
Moqui and Navajo tribes. In his por-
travail of these simple people, the art
list has been alive to the poetry and
philosophy of their natures and shows
sympathetic understanding of their
attitude toward life.
"Hopi Indian" Ga pose) is the art
lists favor!te among the Indian sub
iects shown, so much so that he has
withdrawn this from sale. The canvas
shows a marked painterlike quality
and is a most striking picture as well
as a portrait The young Hopi model
was a favorite one, famous story
teller of his tribe, who met with a
tragic death not long ago.
The largest canvas shown Is the
mystery Man." differing in its at
mospheric quality from the poster
like effect common in the treatment
Of Indian subjects. The feeling of
mysticism is subtly suggested through
out and the figure in the background
is admirable in its drawing and It's
relation to the scene.
'Hrhe Arrow Maker is very beautiful
in color. and "Firelight" Is a most In
teresting study Of the play of light on
the pueblo interior and seated figure
One of the most interesting subjects
shown is that of the Taos Indian with
the fine old face largely in shadow
merely touched by the strong light
which falls across the shoulder.
moonlight" (OraibD is charming
picture, especially strong in its brush
work. and two moonlight studies MADE
in New Mexico are among the strongly
individual things of the exhibition.
prehistoric House" is full of somber
mystery, suggested with great sim
plicity of treatment, and "Moonlt
Wall' is handled with similar technlc'
the lighted window and doorway ADD
ing a fascinating touch of human IN
| terest.
The group of landscapes from Ar
rowhead Springs are distinguished for
| their effect of atmosphere, and small
canvas sold before the opening of the
| exhibition is a fine bit Of painting,
beautiful in its lyric quality
Mexican Garden" is a bright and
snappy rendering of sunny corner
and "Old Spanish Street, Mexico" Is
radiant with the sunlight falling on its
delightful red roofs and the pool re-
hecting the blue sky of the tropics
Several studies made in Mexico, SHOW
| ing quaint old doorways and SUMMIT
walls are beautiful in color and pos
sess especial interest.
| Mr.. Rollins may be classed among the
western school of painters, as 1t is here
| that he finds the subjects which APP
peal most to his imagination, and here
| that he received his early inspiration,
claiming to owe much of that tnsplra-
tion to his first teacher, Virgil Will
liams. He afterward spent some time
| in the art schools of the east, returning
finally to the land of his choice, and is
now Established in a studio at Arrow
head Springs, where he also has gal
lery devoted to the exhibition of his
work.
IT is a matter of interest that two
young women of San Francisco, sisters
of Mrs. Marion Holden Pope of this
city. have won distinction for their
handicrafts at the Seattle exposition
Miss Octavia Holden was awarded the
medal of honor for her work in book
binding and Miss Milward Holden q
gold medal for her exhibit of wood
carving. which was purchased in its
entirety before the close of the exposl-
ton.
A craft shop has recently been opened
in San Diego under the direction OF
Miss Alice Klauber and Gail Nichols
who has recently come on from Boston
The shop bears the name of The Tori
and the circulars which have been
issued show most attractive Japanese
monogram.
Mrs. Sadie M. b. Dando of Venice will
hold an exhibition of her work IN
water color at the Kanst gallery during
the latter half of November
-
Henry Lovins, the landscape painter
has been the guest of Jean Mannheim