The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-12-12
az ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

A Chicago artist, giving an exhibit
ton in indianapolis, is talking for pub
LEGATION, or possibly effect.
He says there is no use in going
abroad to study art. That the schools
in this country teach as much as can
be learned by an attendance on for
eign schools.
incidentally this artist has lived
abroad for years, chiefly in Florence,
Italy.
He says he endeavors to come back
once each year.
TO keep in touch he states with the
art life" of the country.
II this artist thinks so highly of
opportunity and what is termed at
mosphere" in the United States, why,
pray, doesn't he stay here!
For he not only lives abroad but
studied in Europe for many years.
All this is rather amusing.
What he says, however, about the
opportunities for study-as it pertains
to instruction received in schools
IL true enough.
And not only the art of painting but
the art of music.
But there is a truth not SO we'll
known-or at least carefully conceal
ed. And that is that there are too
many persons studying art and mus
ic in both this country and abroad.
Too many schools pretending to fos-
To- t,lo hat tot
Too many teachers and instructors
fooling the student to the top of his
bent for the purpose of screwing all
the money out of him-or her-he can.
Later the ambitious young man or
woman, Of mediocre talents, finds this
out.
Or, rather, it is brought to his bitter
consciousness through failure to
make good" Sometimes the student
puts this failure down to lack of ap-
probation or opportunity. For it is
impossible for him to believe that it
is owing to his lack of talent or be-
cause he is not endowed with super.
Tor artistic gifts.
Impossible because his teachers and
masters have flattered him into the
belief that he is the possessor of won.
derful artistic qualities.
The world is strewn with these
wrecks from art and music schools.
More unhappiness, more disappoint-
ment, more disaster is engendered and
results from this course of action than
through any other one phase of ar
tistic activity
If art and music schools were frank
and would state plainly the status Of
the individual talents of their students
ment of values.
This is, of course, only a dream.
No school would take this course. 1t
would be suicide.
Too many people cannot be study
ing in these schools if their object was
the mere requirement of culture. For
the more people who have acknowledge
of the principles of art-and these
are for all who will study-the high
err the plane of average culture.
But to encourage with the idea of
ability to create, and through this
creation to come into fame and for
tune-is a crime, unless the spark of
superior talent or genius is obvious.
Are there not enough people starv-
ing in studios? Putting up sick
pretense of success? Aren't there en-
ough pitiful failures trying to give re-
citals and concerts and lapsing into
teaching children and playing the or
gan at the more or less village
church?
At the Chicago Art institute where
there are thousands of students, in
the Art Students League, New York,
where there are more. so great is
the congestion that half the time half
the students are not able to get into
the lecture and study rooms.
Their masters gruffly give criti-
cism here, word of praise there
godlike creatures, these masters,
whose word OF praise or blame kills
or eXalts.
There is no less graft in art and
music. from the professional stand
point. than in politics. Everyone
knows the melancholy and sordid his.
tory of certain celebrated prima don