The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-09-19
An Instructor
In Painting
A Tale Of
Orr's Island
By TOM F. BROWN
By TOM F. BROWN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

/ Copyright by American Press Asso- .
citation, 1911
oooOoOOOOoOooe
During the summer of 49, Constance
Phillips, an art student chose the
coast of Maine for a field in which to
paint pictures. There is an island on
that coast which has been made pre-
eminent among its neighbors by a
celebrated authoress. who located one
of her stories there. Harriet Beecher
Stoves pearl Of Orr's Island" has
been read by millions Of her fellow
countrymen, thus familiarizing them
with at least the name Of the locality.
Miss Phillips, being alone, stopped at
small hotel near the house in which
Mrs. Stowe wrote her story. In the
morning after breakfast she would
take her artists paraphernalia and
start out in search of a scene to trans
fer to canvas But she found nothing
of the marine order that pleased her
more than the view looking eastward
from the lower end Of the island De
scending an incline, she found herself
| just above rocky shore overlooking
a strip Of Casco bay. There she set
up her easel and. embracing in her
| subject bit of the rocks and bit of
| the ocean, began her work.
Constance painted all the morning,
but unfortunately her ability to trans
fer to canvas what she saw was not of
high order. Like many aspirants for
success in art, she felt it, but was un-
able to express it. What she had
placed on the canvas disappointed her.
She was looking at her work ruefully
when she heard a step behind her and
turning, saw man descending through
the wild grass and weeds. AS he pass
ed her he lifted his cap and, casting a
glance at her picture, paused, looking
from it to its subject.
you have selected quite an attrac-
tive view.'' he said your discrimi-
nation in this respect is proved by
your having chosen the best there is
here"
II fear it is all discrimination" said
Constance, viewing her work lugu-
briously.
you mean that you are not gifted
with the artistic touchT
81 fear am not"
| "a good deal depends upon that
which for the want of a better word
l shall call the trickery of art. There
are all sorts of methods of producing
effects which, though In themselves
mechanical, tend to successful paint
ing. Judging from this bit of work,
fancy you have something to learn In
this respect"
Lots"
For instance. this bit of rocky cliff
is depicted against that wood across
the water. The cliff is of a darH
brown, the wood a dark green, two
dark substances, the one directly be
hind the other. You must make one
Of them of a different shade from
what it is. The rock, being In tn,
foreground, is the most important
You have got its color to perfection
The wood, being distant, would beal
more blending with it's neighborint
objects. 1t Will bear Tightening
which will darken the rock"
Constance mixed some coiors on he
palette, gave the wood beyond tn,
rock dab and was quite pleased will
the improvement. The rock stood on
boldly, while the wood appeared a
its proper distance.
"Are you a teacher of artY' sh
asked.
81 have taught art, but l do no
teach now. l am interested at presen
in regaining my physical strength
which Is somewhat run down."
Constance noticed that he was pal
and thin. His eyes, which were larg
and expressive at any time. SCENE,
more so in his invalid condition. Sh
thanked him for his suggestion and
removing her canvas, folded her ease
and her stool. put her palette am
paint in her box and was startin
t away when the stranger said:
] "Have you to carry those thing
J farY'
ITO the village. about mile up tn
island"
do you come back to paint thi
| afternoon?"
. 81 expect to-"
/ 'Then 1t is not necessary that yo1
should lug them both ways. / have
, shack on the crest, between here an
the road. and you can leave Their
. there"
"That would indeed be a saving o
labor"
: He took up part of her belonging
while she carried the rest, and the
walked together up little path to on
Of those summer cottages containin
only beds, chairs and cheap tablewar
which city folk rent either for a fey
weeks in summer or for ''the season.
: There was a broad porch on thre
] sides of it, and its occupant, settin
down the artists materials on tn
: porch, said:
: ~'They may remain here till you r.
g turn in the afternoon, and II you don
e come again today will take them II
: side and keep them for you till 20
: need them"
: "You are very kind" Constance n
piled. "Do you live here all aloneY'
"For the present. go back to tn
city early in September"
4 II viii relieve you of my belonging
t about 8 o'clock this afternoon"
/ "If it is not necessary that 70
Q work all dayI would advise you nc
/ to do So"
v "WhyT'
d "Welr'--he looked up at the sky fc
l. reason and found one-''in the morI
n ing we are fresh and can do our bes
e work. Besides, when we have jus
e finished bit of work we are liable I
i either undervalue or overvalue 1t.
e you leave what you have done thi
9 morning without looking at it. till tt
!. morrow you will be able to put niue
s better estimate upon it than now, jus
II after working upon it."
/ And If l leave 1t here l can't sc
II it, can ~
# "No, you can't And In the mornin
a when you are fresh you will kno'
8 just what 1t requires. You see, tn
n course l advise is beneficial in NOR
ways than one"
Constance left him and striking
= disused road through the pines, wall
/ ed away toward Harpswell villag'
After dinner instead of going back
) her work she took a siesta and late
a tour of observation In search of oil
jects to transfer to canvas.
. The next morning was clear an
crisp. Constance walked to the co
tage where she had left her belong
ings and, approaching, saw her eas'
set up on the north porch and her pi'