Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-10-31
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This Is the story Of negro youth
who came to New York not SO, long
ago penniless. alone and fyiendless
and who has advanced himself from
the occupation Of sign painter until he
has become a painter of landscapes
and other pictures. His work has been
exhibited in a Fifth avenue art gal.
lery and some of his pictures have
been bought by Jacob H. Schiff, the
banker, and by art connoisseurs from
Europe. Incidentally he has been ia
ken up by New York painters Of note,
among them members Of the National
academy.
Richard Lonsdale Brown is the name
of this negro artist, and he Is twenty.
one years old. Grandson of slave
and son of black man who is brick
layer and tile layer by turns, he was
born in Indiana, but when a child was
taken by his parents to West Virginia.
There he lived until he came to New
York. He taught himself all he knew
of landscape painting until he came to
Manhattan to seek an education as an
artist. He told his story the other day
In his studio in Harlem.
Il was little less than year old
when my parents took me to Parkers-
burg, W.. Va, from my birthplace.
Evansville, Ind, where my father had
worked at his trade of tile layer" he
said. when I was old enough went
to public school and when ten years of
age moved with his father and mother
to Pittsburgh. Later we went to
Charleston, w. Va, where entered a
trade school and worked to become a
sign painter.
Il remained there five years, and be-
ing then a journeyman sign painter |
travelled through the mining districts
of the state, working at my trade. NY
journeys took me almost altogether
through the mountains-throught those
mountains where, when God made
them, he placed scenery the equal of
which, l think, cannot be found in all
America.
ri had confidence in myself and
knew l was worthy of better things
than painting signs, but needed the
money for my daily living and so kept
on doing that which brought me food
and lodging, but whenever l could
did landscapes as we'll as other sub
jects. was determined that some
day would come to New York, where
l might have an opportunity to do
something higher in the art scale than
sign painting.
AT last the day came when de-
cided to make the plunge. l left West
Virginia with small trunk and my
paintings and came to New York.
rented cheap room and the day after
my arrival started out to sell some Of
my paintings, for my money was near
ly all gone. Knowing that the art gal
leries were in Fifth avenue l went
there. .#.s#
Things are better with me now
than then, but as look back can re-
call the chill which seized me as en-
tered several art shops with three or
four of my landscapes under my arm.
l was greeted with a cold stare and an
inquiring look. Instinctively felt the
men in the shops were asking them
selves, What does this negro want
here?'
Il braced myself and said, My name
is Brown have some paintings to
SELL What Brown? never heard of
you,' was the reply. No, we're not
buying pictures today, Brown and the
man smiled and turned his back.
II walked for days up and down
Fifth avenue and some of the side
streets, visiting art stores in my des-
perate anxiety to sell some pictures
whereby might get food and pay my
room rent, but it was the same story