Arizona republican., 1909-08-08
PHOENIX BOY HAS
 ARTISTIC TALENT
Robert P. killeen, Aged is, Without Special instruction is Doing Some Creditabls Work.

In Robert F. killeen, the 16-year- old son of MT. and Mrs. Louis Kill leen of this city. Phoenix has another candidate for fame and success in the field of art Though the boy makes no pretentions of being an artist yet and only admits that he would like to become one, his efforts with pen cil, pen and ink. and brush indicate that he has much natural talent in that direction and a fair measure of originality in it's display.
 Robert is here spending his sum mer vacation from Santa Clara col lege, which he has attended for one well with his studies His art work to date has been with him entirely a matter of diversion, except that he has taken a few lessons in painting, though his preference is to make pictures with pen or pencil. And in this his preference as well as seem ingly his best talent, lies in cartoon work. It is true that almost any body who can draw at all can make a cartoon that tells it's story. even if the same artist could not produce a good likeness. Nevertheless there Is as much difference in cartoons as in any other pictures, and the more capable the artist the better he can set forth his ideas in a cartoon. That is why some cartoonists command enormous salaries while others have hard sledding.
 The making of good likenesses Is a better test of ones artistic talent than the mere production of amusing funny pictures With this capability and original conceptions, the artist by exaggeration works out his hum orus cartoon At least that is the way it appears to people who are not artists, and Robert Killeen's work. some of which has been seen by the writer. is most creditable in respect of his seriously made pictures where he has attempted to reproduce the features of well known public men, from other studies. Naturally therefore, his cartoon work in point of exception, appears still better for his conceptions are unique and good for one of his age.
 Among his pictures are those of many familiar faces. such as those of Lincoln. Bryan, Taft, Roosevelt. etc. from which one. can judge of his ac- curacy in expression. He also has many pictures of women. tasteful and attractive of course, but like cartoons they are imaginary and do not have to look like anybody in particular so are not so much a test of talent in reproducing from the original though they do demonstrate his ideas. Some of his best pencil work is H. illustrative of football rushes and mix ups where legs and arms are hope lessly entangled and the pictures are executed with an eXactness and pro portion that is quite surprising. He also has some pictures of horses and other animals that are good, showing considerable versatility in his accom- plishnients.
 The boy pleads guilty to having an ambition to become a cartoonist, but is quite modest as to his own at tainments. His father is justifiably pleased with the boys work and only recently discovered how greatly Be had improved in his drawings made during the hours that would other wise have been idled away. He is perfectly willing to make an artist out of Robert. or rather help him to make one of himself. if the lad can demonstrate that he has sufficient talent. and those who have seen his pictures agree that he has already made d fine showing