New-York tribune., 1920-08-22
Colony No Place for the Bohemian
Arcadian Retreat Is Open Only to the Worker

Ao lake aiother example Of tia
colony's increasing and WIDENING or
ergy: The JohR w. Alexander Ne.
moral Studio is now in process %
building--a beautiful stone structurs
which is replica of the chapel a.
Saas Fee, in Switzerland. 1t is nro
posed to hold in it periodical exhibi.
tions Of American paintings and
sculpture, and by these means n
provide what so many strugglino
artists urgently need-a medium bv
which they may be introduced to
their undiscovered patrons.
There is nothing in the least fanci.
full or futile about any of thess
projects, for those who will carry
them out are men and women who
are practical artists and people Of
sound executive ability. They know
what should be done and they know
how to set about doing it.
In Absolute Privacy s
am not, however. primarily con.
cerned with the plans which ths
directors Of the MacDowell Associa.
tion hope to carry into effect in thu
future. Though these are altogether
praiseworthy and attractive Of in.
terest, the essential policy Of cha
colony must remain what it is. How.
ever widely it may extend its center
will always be the individual studio
where the artist works in silence and
seclusion from morning until eve.
ming at the perfecting of his own art,
Here he withdraws, as into a cell.
with no companionship excep. mis-
thoughts and dreams, and here he
strives until he can give them their
desired form. From his window he
may look abroad and see, through a
rift in the woods, Mount Monad-
mock, lying in misty blue against the
sky. Or he may be so shut in that
thick woods stand about him on
every hand. Either situation is
good. am not prepared to say
which is better.
/ have already spoken Of the in.
fection Of industry and of the pres
ence of MacDowell's spirit at Peter
borough. / cannot help feeling that
there is some link between the two
things, and that their union will re-
suit in reinvigoration Of American
art. The colony is attached to no
school Of aesthetics, and each of its
members is free to follow the method
he prefers.
But there is unity here, not of
method but of purpose, though that
purpose is largely unconscious, as it
was with MacDowell himself. He
was an American who had lived for
some time in Europe. Such Ameri-
cans quite commonly bring back
Vulgar contempt for what they are
pleased to consider the crudities Of
their country, and this generally in
duces an inability to appreciate
their country's excellences.
Felt Americas Romance
MacDowell was much too great
man to fall into this error. He felt
the romance Of America, and was as
much excited by the ruins Of an
early settlers cabin in the woods as
by the ruins Of an English castle.
This strong and very fine sentiment
came out clearly in his compositions
which have in them an element Of
what can only be called folklore.
This was. in my opinion, the thing
he was especially called to express.
Whether he knew that he was ex-
pressing it l do not know. But do
know that he found it among the
, same hills, the same woods where
other native American artists are
finding it to-day. And the stray
English poet who has the good for
tune to enjoy an experience to which,
l suspect, he is not strictly eutitled,
must have his life and art enriched
by what is rooted in this alien soil
Furthermore, because an an
Englishman l am sufficiently de-
tached to look at the MacDoweli
Colony more impartially, perhaps
than could others who are too closely
associated with it not to be suspect
ed of a natural prejudice in ies
favor. Consequently-as it is the
prerogative of an Engiishman 70
publish his views frankly put my
enthusiasm down on record, ara say
that l can conceive Of nothing thai
is more likely to have a salutary ei-
feet on the artistic output Of TINS
country than what is being done al
Peterborough.