The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-03
WATER COLOR SHOW
HAS FINE EXAMPLES
Clifford Beal's Productions Dis
play Virility and Honesty
of Treatment.
GEMS BY PRENDERGAST
Prize Winning Picture by
Colin Campbell Cooper
Has Much Color.

The first art exhibition Of what may
be called an Official" character In that
Of the New York Water Color Club,
which has now opened its doors on West
Ffty-seventh street In the Fine Arts
Building. Since an art exhibition Il
adjudged good" bad" or mediocre"
by the number OF works that make an
appeal TO the instructed eye. the present
show may be put down as good" for
the number OF inviting water celors on
the walls is beyond the average OF the
last few years.
That the vast majority OF the pic.
lures in the exhibition are mediocre can.
not operate against the verdict. since
there are always quantities of innocuous.
pictures In public exhibitions. These
simply do not count, unless It be that
by their very dulness they help TO set
OF to advantage the contributions that
have life and 10 discover few lively
or promising works is always n suf-
fcjcnt recompeuse TO the art lovers who
undertake TO keep abreast Of the times.
Clifford BeaI's Productions.
OF first interest from the point of view
OF loneliness Is the group of virile and
STRAIGHTFORWARD water colors by Clifford
Beal. Mr.. Bears work Is always honest
and consequently his failures have more
quality than some other artists sue
cssses. This artist uses coiors in bold
direct washes with plenty OF water in
them. He Is not above using body color
occasionally. which shows that he is not
q purist, but in general he aims 10 get
along without IT,
His water colors and those OF Mr.
Prendergsst--who is also an exhibitor
approach more nearly the true water
color style than any others in the rooms
for the bulk OF the mediocre" drawings
already referred to are painted heavily
IN gouache, in the manner OF oil paint
ings. ...
Only two OF Mr.. Beal's pictures can
be accepted without cavil. the Summer
Landscape" which is decorative and
coiorful. and the Central Park" The
Porto Rican Pastoral" Is tho crispest
OF all In washes. but the crispness has
been arrived at with great sacrifice OF
solidity in the earth.
1t also should be said that this artists
water colors make a direct challenge to
those OF the great Winslow Homer. but
In no way come up to that lofty level.
II Is in spite of the apparent, although
probably unconscious. borrowings from
the great American masters that Mr..
Beais sincere attitude toward nature
wins praise upon its own account.
Color strong hut Dry.
Mr. Beal's color is strong but dry In
that respect he Is much surpassed by
Mr. Prendergast and Albert W. Heck
man. a newcomer. Mr.. Hecknans color
sparkles richly and he will doubtless
soon learn TO make II stu more
efYec i've He needs 10 find subjects of
earnest about. and then the present fus.
siness of touch will disappear
He may well study Mr.. Prendergasts
dergast decidedly knows what he is
about and puts no touches in the picture
except those he means.
Mahonr! Young may proat too by this
little tip that is given free 10 Mr.. Heck
man. Mr.. Young has OF course had
much more experience than Mr.. Heck
man and shows II in his sketch OF an
apparently amateur hay reaper called
Doing His Bit" The figure cutting hay
has life enough to attract the passing
glance, but the artist lost interest in
the work long before he reached the
edges of his paper. and the spectator
does likewise
The gayest spirit revealed by the
show Is Rene Clarke, whose landsca pes
called Design in Green and Gray and
Design by Textures are done In
shorthand method that is, 20 say the
least, modern. The few sparse touches
Of color are cieverly laid in. however
and also hint ut the rare quality Of
hufuor