The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-21
g Art and the People. /"

Art and the People" WAS the key
note OF the address made by Miss
Nora Houston at the Art Club Of
Richmond Tuesday afternoon. that
being the general topic of the Seventh
Annual Convention of the American
Federation of Arts, Miss Houston dis
cussed the program OF this conven-
ton In May. takiRg up the subject OF
each session OF the convention and
che titles OF the addresses to be made
there. She spoke of the value to
Richmond of the Annual Art Conv~n-
tons being held in so adjacent city
as Washington. Richmond people in
terested in art. as well rs delegates
from the two Richmond chapters of
the federation. frequently attending
the sessions.
The convention will open, said Miss
Houston. with an address OF welcome
by Honorable Charles D. Wolcott.
secretary of the Smithsonian Institute.
Robert W. de Forest. president of
the federation. will preside, and Miss
Leila Mechlin will make the secre-
tary's report The speaker paid
tribute to Miss Mechlin. who, through
her interest in art in Virginia and her
every-ready cooperation. has been Of
great assistance in the solving of art
problems here. and through whose in
fiuence exhibitions and lectures of
mote have been brought to Richmond.
Miss Mechlin was recently heard In
Richmond in a charming address on
American Art at the woman's Club.
The principle address of the first
session of the Art Convention deals
with the general topic. art and the
People" and will be made by Hon
orahle Francis q. Newlands, United
states senator from Nevada Art
and the People" 10 q most pertinent
topic today" said Miss Houston. be
cause In modern times the people as
a whole have lost their birth-right OF
art. We have gained much through
machinery, but we have lost art, tenn
porariiy. Work has very literally
taken out Of the hands Of the people,
TO be done by machinery. and ma
chinery has left in its wake dreary
waste of ver-ornamented objects
made of cheap materials. Hand-work
produces two artistic results--the use
Of good materials. because no one is
willing to qua graf deal of work on
uoor mtaerial, and the adaptation OF
each kind of material to Its particular
end The use of cheap material ana
over-orname by, which ns
flaws are covered, arc the resuits Oh
the machine. The idea that art Is
a luxury and that beauty 10 not O
necessity is false one. Art 10 ma
tural condition among peoples un-
touched by modern inventions we
regard art as an aim: to them 1t IL
a means of expression and manner
OF living.
The Art Museum in its relation to
the people is the topic OF the second
session. A small museum and It's
value to the community being the
subject of most Interest to us IN
Richmond. according to Miss Houston.
The museum Ia repository Tor
achievements in art. and wntie ART
should be In the lives OF the people,
the museum 10 needed TO preservs
m masterpieces Miss Houston dweit
upon the value of our art museum
the Valentine Museum-to Rich
mond. and urged club members 20 De-
como frequent visitors thereto.
civic art and city planning IN re'a-
ton to the people will next be con-
adhered at the art convention. Charies
Moore. chairman of the Federal Com
mission OF Fine Arts. will be chair
man. Miss Houston called attention
to the city planning exhibit. when
interested Art Club members last
year, and alluded to the address on
this subject given at the Art CIuo
nv Mayor Ainsiie. stating that 1t was
the province Of the Art Club to stand
for a beautiful Richmond.
A feature of the program Will be
the memorial exhibition OF John w.
Aiexander's work. Miss Houston said
that Alexander was = painter whose
work u Of especial interest to Rich
mond people. - two Of his beautiful
paint1nes hAvs been exhxbitsd hsre