Evening star., 1915-02-21

| is not only an artist, but a man of high
| ideals and lofty visions. one who passes
| on to his associates not only knowl-
! edge, but aspiration and noble purposes
| one who creates an atmosphere in
| which the finer things of life naturally
! find existence.
! But from first to last Mr.. Messer as a
teacher of art has stood for sound
principles. Keeping abreast of the
time he has not bound himself by tra-
| ditions. but neither has he follow ed
! false trails. From his instruction
| many have gone out to adventure in
wider fields and not a few have re-
turned with honors.
There was Il time. Mr.. Messer said,
recalling the road he had come, when
there seemed to be parting of the
ways, one path leading to creative
work, the other to the teaching of 9TH
ers. He chose the latter deliberately,
but occasionally looking back over his
shoulder, he has questioned the wisdom
of his choice, success in the one direc-
tion being SO patent and in the other
so difficult to reckon. 1t was for this
reason that Mr.. Messer said the medal
presented to him by his former pupils
would always be so significant and
gratifying. answering it were an oft
unspoken and hence unanswered ques-
tion.
1t should be remembered, however,
that though Mr.. MeSSer has undoubted-
iy given his time and his best ability
to his teaching, he has attained no
small measure of success in his paint
ing. The picture by which he is rep
resented in the Corcoran Gallery holds
its own with the works of the fore
most American landscape painters in
the same collection. The landsca pc
which he contributed to the recent ex-
painting held by the Corcoran Gallery
was one of the most notable works
shown. Indeed. it was one of the few
singled out for remark and commenda-
hyy hn
largest art museums in this country
and one of our foremost connoisseurs
who chanced to visit the exhibition
prior to its opening. This picture has
since been invited and sent to the Pan
ANAL Pacific exposition.
SO, while Mr.. Messer has been giving
literally. he has also been gaining in
dividually until he has attained a place
coveted but not easily gained, and must
be counted not merely among the
teachers who have helped so vitaIIy to
upbuild and develop art in America
but among the artists who have
its possibilities.
Mr.. Messer was born in Skowhegan,
Me-. but spent his ~boyhood in Min
nesota, his parents being pioneers
FROM childhood he had a love of art.
music and literature-in fact, all that
possessed the element of beauty When
the war broke out he enlisted and
served three months. when he was dis
charged for physical disa ability and
sent home to quietly end his days He
came to Washington first in the en-
ploy of the sanitary commission. 1t
was after this that opportunity was
given for the study of art, in the pur-
suit of which he went first to Phila-
delphia and then New York, or vice
versa. He has had to make his way,
but he has never swerved from his pur-
pose. Now and then he has written
poetry and prose. upon art and kindred
subjects. Some of his poems and es-
says were published, others were writ
ten simply for his own pleasure or to
be read at the Washington Literary
Society, of which for many years he
has been member. He has painted