Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-06-12
Painting a
Picture
Under Cupid's
Guidance
By ANDREW c. EWING

The most beautiful lake in the world
is Como and the most beautiful bay
the bay of Naples. Both have been the
scene Of many story. real and fcti-
tious; both have attracted visitors from
all parts of the world. The beauty Of
the former bursts upon one at once:
that of the latter is of slow growth
Como is always much the same; the
bay of Naples is ever changing.
Sorrento, overlooking this beautiful
bay, is built on q circular ledge of rocks
some three hundred feet high, follow
ing the curvature of the shore. There
are hotels and villas fronting the water.
some Of them built in the center of or
ange groves. One morning a gentle
man emerged from one of these hotels,
sauntered down a walk, plucking an
orange by the way, and at the end
stood upon a marble balcony looking
down upon the waves far below.
Yachts and fishing boats were rocking
on the surface. and from the island Of
Capri a little steamer was bounding
along toward Sorrento.
A young lady had set up an easel on
the balcony and was attempting to
transfer the scene to canvas. The gen.
tleman paused short distance behind
her and looked at her work. Conscious
of his presence, she turned.
Pardon me. signorina" he said in
italian and was about to walk on when
she said in English:
II don't understand Italian"
"Ah, you are an American, l per.
ceivew
''Why not English?"
"We Americans are easily distin-
guished from the English by our ac-
cent. Permit me to compliment you on
the way you are getting on with your
picture"
81 am not getting on at ALL"
"You have sketched your outline very
we'll"
But how shall l get that deep blue
Of the water. how that delicate veil of
mist that hangs over Capri and almost
nueS lScnla farther on!
Your work will be the more diff
cult because you cannot get the same
scene on two consecutive days. To-
morrow the water will be perhaps a
rale green, then a light instead Of a
dark blue, as it is today. Quite likely
even by noon we shall have Ischia
resting on a sea of quicksilver"
The girl leaned back in her chair
discouraged
II would advise you to put in such
parts as will not change then select
a certain coloring to transfer to your
canvas. If you can get it in before it
changes, be it so; If not you must get
In as much as you can. then wait till
the same conditions come again."
Exactly the same conditions will
never come again"
You are right. But you don't need
TO copy. An artist doesn't do that. He
takes a landscape, a model. any sub
Ject you like. and idealizes it. His
intention Is not to get something bet
ter than the original, But something
better than the result of an attempt
to transfer the original to canvas"
IF | could only get 1.-THE of what
we see before us on the canvas ]
should be satisfied"
Are you an amateur or a profes-
sional?"
Il simply desire to make picture to
sell on my return to America to help
out the expense of my trip abroad"
"Well, don't be discouraged. With
your permission | will criticise your
work as you proceed. am a profes-
sional critic and may help you"
Thank you very much. but doubt
If can produce anything worthy Of
your criticism"
Acquaintances are formed very cas-.
lily between tourists, especially where
they are fellow countrymen. end Ed.
ward Minard improved upon this be-
ginning to become quite friendly with
Lucia Clifford. True to his promise. he
coached her in her effort to transeribe
some OF the various phases that the
pay or Naples takes on. From the win
dow OF his room he could look out
upon 1t. and often when it assumed
the conditions she was trying to get
he would send her word. and she
would hurry to the balcony to take ad-
vantage OF the situation.
At times she would rest from her
work by riding out on the road wind
Ing up the heights lying southwest OF
the town. At others she would stroll
with friends among the shops picking
up bargains in lace or silks. Occa-
sionally on returning from some of
these trips her work would look bet
ter to her than when she had left 1t.
Minard told her that this was because
before going out she saw 1t through
tired eyes. When she came In she
saw 1t through rested eyes. But she
noticed the greatest improvement on
her return after couple Of days alb
sence while on visit to Paestum. II
seemed to her os Hrbt viewing her pic.
ture after her arrival that she had
done far better than she had supposed
in getting that misty effect OF the at
mosphere. that cerulean blue OF the
water. Moreover. she was gradually
getting on to the canvas not any Of
the conditions she had seen. but some
fhinO aOnaairaH uAunafhtnn s,nnro ~