The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-06-20

I School decoration-the identifying OF
the public schools by means Of appro-
priste, inexpensive yet attractive casts
and pictures-is one OF the subjects that
engage the attention or the Municipal
Art society OF New York. says the Her
aid in q recent issue. As the acres Of
hare white walls in nearly all the
schools otfer TO the children who occupy
the buildings for so long period no
suggestion OF the unconscious tuition
OF the gracious method of art. a com
'mittee on school decorations has been
established.
Identicsliy the same idea has been
promulgated and IS now being followed
out in San Francisco Under the su-
rpervision OF c. J. Dickman, the acres
of bare white walls" in our schoolrooms
are being transformed into expanses Of
low. tremendously tinted spaces that
are at once pleasant to look upon and
beneficial TO the pupils strained sight
-Blackboards. instead Of showing inly
surfaces, are tinted green: white chalk
Il still used. but the harsh crudity of
white against black has been removed
Walls are tinted in harmonizinE shades;
window shades bought to fit to color
schemes.
All children possess yearning
toward the beautiful; what this uncon-
sciOus training in esthetfc values may
develop in many starved natures who
can say Dickman Is pursuing his
work with deep interest. and It is safe
10 say that he never worked over a
canvas with more care than he bestows
on the tone values OF the big rooms
where 50 or SO little mortals spend six
hours every day.
At the same time his painting goes
on. A number Of marine scenes of
Normandy and Picardv. together with
the picturesque fishing villages which
lie strewn all along those coasts, are
10 be seen in his studio. and it is said
that they are among the best work he
has done-strong, virile and full Of the
favor OF the sea-
IL is seldom that the quality and at
mosphere Of such places can be brought
out when pictures are worked out from
sketches made perhaps years ago, but
Dickmsn has preserved both quality
and atmosphere in a pleasing degree.
one. steps from the rafting noises Of
the street into the midst OF the fresh
life OF these sea villages; feels the salt
tang OF the air, hears the rough dia-
lects OF the fisher folk. This IS much
for a painting TO express. and it is GER
tsinly all there in these vigorous salt
sea scenes.
Another artist who has been painting
messages from mountain TOD and shell
tered valleys is J. IL Griffin. who. back
from a brief sketching trip In Sonoma
county, has half a dozen canvases to
show as the results of his work. which
are OF exceeding beauty and merit. So
mona mountain is pictured in the aft
ernOon shadows, which creep and en-
bosom the mountain in their warm en-
brace, while the scattered oaks, taller
and thinner foliaged than their sister
valley oaks, stand like sentinels against
the encroaching night. The mountain
mists OF thin purple lie on the heights
like an exquisite veil, and the soft ripe
ness and mellowness of the peaceful
scene indicate a mind attUned TO ma
lures subtlest moods.
Griffin is an artist who portrayss land
Ecape effects in a dozen different ways.
In direct contrast to the above men
toned oil is a water color in broad de-
cOrstive style, depicting a huge valley
oak near a low, white barn with a
square. open doorway, and distant
point Of hills Jutting into blue water.
The picture is broadly drawn, and alb
solute elimination Of detail is noted.
Painted in fat tones, the effect is sim
pie and charming. Still another man
ner of treatment and handling is shown
in the old boat which lies pulled up on
the outermost edge Of a sand spit. A
glorious SKY PROOFS over the lonely
sloop. the effect OF evening being in
tensifed by the strange melancholy
which seems to pervade the sands from
which the ebbing tide drifts resistlessly
away
The boldest and most striking work
Of the half dozen IS, however. the pic
turing Of the Wild Water canyon, also
in Sonoms county. This is direct work
snd shows a magnificent huddle of
h Il.
dashes in wild swirls TO fan into a
peaceful little pool at the bottom
strewn by the falling autumn leaves.
The walls Of the canyon. which narrow
into a crevice of wonderful beauty
through which one still peers at the