The Washington times., 1914-01-13
SCULPTOR SHARES
ART WITH HEART
BY F. z. Y.

of investigation, and those who are
forced to investigate grow to accept dis
iIlusionment as part of the game; in
fact, they are more than surprised
when the revelation Is proportionate
with what is hoped for. Now sculptor
there is no scientific or techHical rea-
son for this statement-sAould be a big
man, with huge, strong hands One pic
lures him as being capaBle of moving
his own statues about.
"Ulric Stonewall Jackson Dunbar,
sculptor" 1 rolled the words glibly on
my tongue and walked up the steps and
rang the doorbell with a cynical smirk
on my lips. Undoubtedly, according to
the general nature of things, he would
be understood, wear a No. 6 glove, and
be quite burdened by his name and
fame.
But the same Fate who disillusions
cornered me IN spite OF my grim Wis
dom.
\ dear little girl answered the bell
and was kind enough to let me INSIDE.
4 big boy passed through the haIl.
There were in evidence a cello, a vionn,
Il piano, several muse stands. and much
music. An unmistakable air Of young
persons permeated the room, and when
still another boy passed down the stairs
/ began to feel as II had gotten into
the wrong place. Artists are too selfish
to have such big families. This place
was in WIS a home-the very last
thing of which an artist is capable
of making.
But there were several plaques on
the walls, bust or two on the man.
tel. and after 1 had inspected them all
with the nerve and aplomb OF the man
who comes in to read the gas meter,
decided to wait.
Big Man With Big Heart.
Then since the stairs had creaked,
and a foot had fallen on the carpet,
turned about to meet a great big man,
with glasses and short white hair that
stood straight up on his head.
The huge hand Of Clrlch Stonewal
jackson Dunbar enveIoped mine in a
warm grasp. Fooled again! He looked
as II he could move his own statues.
Here was a sculptor who was a big
man, as he should be; who had his
studio in his own home; who had five
children, a wife to whom he was de-
voted, and who, as 1 was to discover
later, vas a good business man. A para
dox, / immediately wanted to take
off my hat 10 him, but didn't because
| was afraid he might not understand,
and besides, it was hard 10 get back
we vent upstairs to a large front
room studio, sat down and talked for
two hours as hard as we could, about
his work, and my work, and thou
sand and one things which touched upon
his art. When I came 1 had interrupt
ed his work. for on the easel was
PLAGUE in bas-relief for the face OF 4
mccall for the Society OF Washington
Artists. and one OF his boys Che uses
them all as models). had fled to dress.
Besides busts for the Capitol and for
the Corcoran Gallery, Mr.. Dunbar made
The statue of Governor Shepherd, and
has the reputation Of making more
naturally I wanted him to talk to me
about his work. The fact that his sons
posed for him interested me. and a
ruodel for 4 fountain 70 be p' iced in
the corridors of the Capitol showing a
little boy with a frog from the mouth
of which the water win run. for which
a Younger son. Uric s. j., jT., posed,
quite fascinated me.
Studio Cost S. Month.
But lie was not TO be sidetracked; he
wanted TO tell mo about the studio he
built himself on land adjoining his own
LOT. end how he worked therein for five
years. II had garden With all sorts
NJ Vegetables, Strawberries in season,
and a studio big enough FOR my largest
n;eces all for five dollars a month!
'That IS plTl gtiCally what it came to In
the end And on plain. ordinary city
lot too.
i:orC was indeed man CEeerfully
sacrificing his art for the responsibility
o. lis homo ind family, thing that
few men as remarkable, and successful
arc willing to do SC. he has stayed in this
CIV so that his boys could be educated
under his own eye without interruption,
and has made his art dOvetail in with
his family life. After all, it is merely
:, matter nf unScl6ShneSS, and Dunbar
rroVes this every day that he lives.
He was telling me that the fads and
friiIs in sculpture were just like other
ecce entricities: that they were used by
the inefficient merely to cover up some
fundamental defect, and deCov the eye
from their discovery. Then the sound
OF music rose from below. He laughed
proudly, There you aTe--dO you hear
that? That is our orchestra, OF part OF
it. We play every Thursday night. 1
MAY the flute, my two sons the violin
nd cello, my daughter will be able to
there are eight others who come here,
forming a complete orchestra. Music is
rart of my life. cannot live without
it. II straightens me all out and rests
me. Sometimes | play the plano for
hnlrs az a stretch when | am SO tired
physically that l can work no longer at
the easel"
His History In Scrap BoO,;.
But I have scrap book which tells
more Of my history ,nan | car recall
Just at present. Wait 4 minute nero
We are" and possessed mysel, ot
the book and looked t. E.N heart con
tent Here was a clipping telling OF
his Shepherd statue, one Of how lie
took the death mask OF Clara Barton,
of Robley u. Evans. md Of Chief liol-
low Horn Bear. PAGES o. art notes led