The Detroit times., 1912-05-29
BEAUTIES OF FLANDERS
FORCE ARTIST TO DRAW
CAR AFTER MONEY FAILS
Enraptured by the grace of the
Electric, Phillips Succumbs
to Advertiser.
DEPLORES COMMERCIALISM
Refuses to Work for Dollars I'm
til He Is Impressed with
Cars Artistry.
DEPLoREs CoMMERCIALIsM

Dear. dear! how times have chang
cd aud things turned topsy-turFy,
walls +. Leroy Pelletier, advertising
director OF the Flanders Co. Time
was, and not so long ago, when arr
waited on commerce. now trade is the
supphant Then the painter starved
IN az attic while he made master
piece: peddled 1t about from shop TO
shop. listened to the sneers OF sell
styled connoisseurs and sick at heart
retarned 10 his garret, threw the de-
81 sed canvas into a corner and starV-
ed on to the end.
Came the junk man. Then the
itinefant collector and the auctioneer
In t:irn And, last scene OF ali we see
a Wall-st. lover of art--with a price
tag On it--fibbing TO the customs col
lecrors about the price he paid for the
new famous canvas.
But that is all past. Artists no
longer need TO pass beyond TO
acL,eye fame. Posterity may pay high
for the work OF our contemporary
artists-but the modest painter Will
have collected his in advance
All of which Is apropos the fact
that the famous advertising man OF
r.
saii 10 be a record price for COM
mercisl drawing by {. Coles Philips
an artist who at this time is the
vogue and fast achieving worldwide
fame through his well-known style OF
fade away drawings in Life and
oIner journals.
III was my ambition TO have Coles
Philips illustrate the beautiful Flan-
ders Colonial Electric says Pelletler.
Il was told that 1t would be impos-
sibie-that the famous artist had re-
solved never TO make another COM
mercial drawing. But my heart was
set ON il and thinking that in this
eo,Cen age even artists would be
susceptible TO the dollars argument.
beean negotiations. Then II was
dircUyered that the world has turn
ed inside out That the under dog
OF yCre is now the upper dog and
witn a vengeance. He would not even
answer my letters. Time was short
hurried to New York and. enlist
ing the influence Of several mu-
tuaI friends. finally was granted an
audience at the artists beautiful
hone at Sutton Manor.
NO. His mind was made up. No
more commercial drawings. Hurt his
reputation as an artist. Mono posing;
no pretense; but just plain common
sense decision based on his belief
that his vogue would endure the long
er and his work command higher
prices for covers and illustrations II
he eschewed commercial work
AFked what such a drawing as
wanted would be worth-if he could
be persuaded TO make 1.-THE said
there was no basis for valuation.
had offered a record price-$l 900. He
sRaid II was too much--an outrageous
price IN fact But the price didn't
matter. | was in despair
Then my good angel appeared in
the form of the Flanders Electric it.
self The artist became Interested
charmed. He studied the beautiful
Colonial body with critical eye. My
heart beat high. Would ii conquer
him as 1t had conquered prejudice
In others?
'"rllat is the first really beautiful
self-propelled vehicle | have ever
SEEN" he exclaimed. Then he launch.
ed into a dissertation on what he
tern ed the "inexcusable ugliness of
automobiles" in general, and he show
ed mc--in terms which ne, al least,
understood-how in order TO produce
a motor-driven vehicle makers had
sacrificed everything else TO mechan-
ic1. convenience-or words to that ef-
feet
| let him rave-glad he had started
on l is artists hobby. Glad he ap-
proved.
''rell you what" he said finally. II
hate to say no. | am tempted 10 do
inst one more and see what | can
make of that Colonial Carriage. II
is splendid Not harsh line; not an
awkward corner: not a discordant
note. can hardly imagine il is real
ly motor-driven carriage-more like
a mammoth Sedan chair Yes, | will
make the drawing"
And he did-and artistlike he did
rot say a word about refusing the
thousand dollars. In fact the check
cane back duly endorsed-just lsie
q business man. A trihe inconsistent
one may think-but the tables have
been turned and IL commerce has
juss learned TO appreciate the value
OF art, so artists have learned to use
money lavishly.
The picture--it appears IN Satur
day Evening Post June /. and ] think
you'll agree we got our moneys wortl
at that"
Business-llk~ Printing. No fuss an.
no feathers. The plain. neat kind tina
looks right. Times Printing Co.. !
John R-st. Phi. Main 1925 or City 1885