Evening star., 1918-06-02

Ii gold medal and other awards
and the opening of the annual
exhibition of student work at the
Corcoran Gallery of Art last Friday
evening was an event of special note
on account of the fact that at that
time Edmund Clarence Messer. Cor
fifteen years principal of the school,
formally took leave of his pupils and
longtime associates, retiring from
the principalship to give entire at
tention hereafter to individual work
and in a part of the country quite
distant from Washington.
Mr.. Messer has for many years
been a leader in local art circles.
much beloved by his associates, much
revered by all those with whom he
has come in contact. In testimony of
this admiration and affection the
local artists have made up a port
folio of sketches for him, and the
students of the school have also con-
tributed similar portfolio of the
best examples of their work. These
Mr.. Messer will take with him to
his Wisconsin home as something
more than souvenirs of old associates
and friends.
The school. exhibit this year is
perhaps not quite SO large as in past
seasons. but is upheld to quite as
good a standard. 1t is interesting to
know that the winner of the gold
medal for drawings from life and the
antique received last year a bronze
medal and the year before honorable
mention. thus ascending step by step
to the highest award.
The life drawings show less
laborious work than in years past,
but possibly greater knowledge of
anatomy and more freedom of line.
The still life class in oils. of which
Mr.. Richard N. Brooke is instructor,
makes a most excellent showing, as
does also the water color c'ass under
the direction of Miss Bertha E.
Perrie.
The portraits in oils are not. per-
haps, as good as might be desired.
but this is the highest type of stu
dent work. the most difficult. and
some excellent examples are shown.
Much interest attaches to the sec
tion of the exhibit set forth by the
composition class, for it is in this work
that the student strikes out for him.
self and demonstrates to what extent
he has really mastered the principles
in which he has been instructed. Here,
again. there is evidence of diversity
Of talents. The great war theme has,
Of course. been given considerable at
tention and there is evidence of a
certain amount of originality Of
thought and individuality of express
sion.
A group of quick figure studies.
made at a single sitting, in water
colors. is an interesting feature Of
this exhibition, the majority exceed
ingly cleverIy done and very artistic
in suggestion.
hibit attaining to the highest stand
ard. Out of every group of students
there are only a few who attain more
than mediocre success, but it is
through the cultivation of the many
that the few are developed. and those
who do not make artists become bet
ter art appreciators and with widened
vision see farther and more than
they would have without the training
At the recent convention of the
American Federation of Arts. held in
Detroit May % and "a. special stress
was put upon the industrial arts, the
the relation of art to manufacture.
The great need OF the country which
has been demonstrated since the be-
ginning of the war for better art in
those manufactures in which design is
a chief factor was vigorously set
forth.
There are. it was said. in this coun-
try very few designers of textiles.
wall papers. furniture. jcwclry and
innumerable articles of constant use
and utility who have had proper
amount, in fact, the essential amount.
of artistic and technical training. The
need of better teaching in the art
schools, the introduction of classes in
industrial art in public schools, the
establishment of more schools of in
dustrial art were urged.
Resolutions were passed petitionihg
the board of education to include more
pamphlets on industrial art training
among its publications; petitioning
the federal board of vocational edu-
cation to adopt the principle that in
dustrial art be given prominent
place in all vocational education; and
urging the enactment OF the design
win; press agent. Mrs. ]. T. Lewis.
Refreshments we're served and the
meetings closed for the summer
months.