The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-02-01
NOTED ARTIST CATCHES
MOUNTAINS GLORY


Although he is 6s years old. Edward
Hill, a member of Boston family Of
artists, who has been IN the Hood
River Valley since June TO secure
mountain ard forest scenes, walks
daily the three-quarters Of mile sep
arating his place Of lodging on the
Heights in the suburbs Of this city to
his studio down town.
81 am not as young as ! once was,
said the artist, who delights to enter
tain his friends in his studio, ''for
remember when | was eager 10 tramp
for miles in quest Of wild game or to
angle in woodland streams, all the
time bGldiug in my dreams some idea
OF thought 10 be worked out in a pic
ture. "
Mr.. Hill came here especially TO
secure a painting Of Mount Hood. and
while his brush hes not been idle in
the painting Of views among the Ore
gon frs and pines, the climax Of his
work here so far has been IN the COM
pletion Of great picture, which he
has entitled mount Hood at Sunrise.
The artist is a hard and systematic
worker. Tie passed more than a week
last Summer seeking place 10 paint
the mountain at sunrise. Finally
choosing a clearing on the range TO the
northeast Of the towering peak, where
George M. kirkpatrick, q pioneer and
homesteader is planting an orchard, he
settled down TO six weeks Of toll,
sketching the contour Of the region
and watching the effect of the early
morning sun on the snow-capped noun
tain. The finished picture, which now
hangs in the rooms of the Hood River
Commercial Club, shows Mount Hood
with the golden glow of dawn on its
peak, cloudlets above It's summit aglow
with the morning fire, while at the
base, the dark green fir forests are
wrapped in shadow All Hood River
people have seen the glory of Mount
Hood at sunrise and the big painting
has the admiration of art lovers be-
cause of It's perfectness. A bit of the
Hood River can be seen sparkling
among the shadows of the picture, the
water catching the reflection Of the
early light in the heavens.
While of retcent nature, the artist,
when visited in his studio will tell
tales of experience of former days.
AS the stories come from his lips. his
deep-set eyes take on a CLEAN of ami
nation. lie tells of days passed in
California in the early days or of some
New England expedition with F. Hop
kinson Smith, or Frank, as he fondly
calls the comrade of his earlier days. !
Mr.. Hill came to California in 1862.
He remained there in business, al
though but youth, for only few
years. returning to his New England
home. where he took up in earnest his
life work of painting pictures. Later
he travelled in Europe. A long sojourn
was made in Venice. Sketches of the |
landmarks of this goal Of art students |
are scattered by scores through his
portfolio.
The painter and f. Hopkinson Smith
were great friends aud passed several
Summers in the rural districts of New
Hampshire. painting landscape scenes.
Conspicuous in his studio today is
the painting of an old water mill on a
little New England stream, bordered
with birches and maple trees. Frank
and painted this scene at the same
time, +" he will tell you, "our easles
side by side. Yet our pictures are
very different, because of our tempera-
ments. Mine was more like the mill
itself, while his was likeness of what
it should have been.
II was in those days that MIR. Hill
liked to pass a part of each Summer
umnnu fha Whtia Mnnutatuo naar fha |
Franconian Pass. 'As | was seated
there one day by the side of little
used roadway painting vine.clad
stump, he said. someone came saun-
tering down the road, and, stopping
near. watched me as | painted. Fin
ally the stranger asked Who are your
1t was rather abrupt, but | wasn't
because of his eagerness
Why, Hill is my name. replied,
resting my palette and looking around
TO get a better look at him. And are
you brother OF Thomas Hill? His
question was more of an affirmation
than an Interrogation, and when | told
him that | vas he came forward, ex-
ending his hand. Why, sure, he said,
81 might have known il, for Tom Hill |
N'Ntu nave lihSh W udNN pdluttu Juhl |
such picture as that. 1t was Law
renee Barrett, the actor. who was a
great friend of my brother "
Thomas Hill, the brother, made a |
wide reputation as painter in San |
Francisco. lie was commissioned by |
Senator Stanford and his associates to |
paint ''The Driving of the Last Spike"
commemorating the completion of the |
Union Pacific Railroad, when the gold !
en- spike, the last sent home to bind |
the ties of the first line of steel across
the Continent, was driven. Thomas |
Hill has been dead for number of !
years. His painting, for which he re-
ceived commission of $50, 600, now
hangs on exhibition in a San Francisco
art gallery.
Although the mark of three score
and ten years will soon be reached, Mr.. !
hill will turn through the leaves of his |
portfolio and tell of the work he has |
yet to do, and it is realized that he has |
just begun his work. Indeed, during
the Winter months here he has com
pleted several paintings from sketches
that he made in the New England !
woods. 'To paint them brings back |
those days, he says. "lt is almost
like trip among the familiar scenes.
and he sits daily at his easel planning |
the details of painting to be great |
er masterpiece than any yet executed. !
FOUR ROAD MEETINGS