The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-12-10
ARTIST PLEASED LEI
WITH OUR CITY
Its Democracy and Quietness
Impresses Him; He Deplores
The Decadence of Art And
Music

George B. Matthews, the artist VINO is
here to paint large marine st1d1es OF
Nags Head, seems impressed with the
duietness of Elizabeth City. Inter-
viewed by a reporter for this paper on
Monday of this week, he talked at length
concerning his impressions of the town
and the absence of so much jazz and
frivolity as compared with cities north
of us. which impreSses him very much.
When he was asked if the CONNER
cial trend of the age hadn't contrlved to
undermine the appreciation OF art IN lit
erature, painting and music, he sad:
Eyes, the DECADE = = =. St
painting literature and music. 1t 4ANof0
fensive to my taste and attacks the
source of my living. I believe that
Leonardo de Vinci, Raphael, Mozart.
Beethoven. Shakespeare. - Moliere and
their friends have emigrated from be-
low or above. to the most distant plan
OF where there is no possibility of meet
ing the paint singers. discord makers.
and scribblers of the present day
Music Not What 1T Was
Gone is no longer soothed with ten
der note. but your world is robbed OF
rest by the omnipresent Jazz. the bas-
tard offspring of the Indian tom-tom.
| The tuneful, soul awakening Blue Dan
ube''-making melody for the many
| twinkling feet-is now an echo OF the
past and in its place is enthroned the
! braZen blast of tin horns and COW bells
| fitting accompaniment to the Bacchan-
allan Bunny Hug or ''shimmy of Orl-
entail fanatics. Shakespeare plays have
| no longer an interpreter in the stage
| The .Revels'' of Sheridan and ''Schoo
| al of thair
ben supplanted by many schools of scan
lal: grand opera is heard in a few plac
,s only. in this country. We have ligh
onera for light minds and blood curdlin'
movies for dilettantes. savants o
the period"
Art Is Losing Ground
| Fifty years ago, there was hardly
family that did not have family por
| traits: certainly one of father and mo
ther if not ancestors as well. An o.
painting was a token of aristocracy. 10
day-a colored lithograph answers ever
purpose.
"Some years ago, a "nouveaux richie
believing it the proper thing for rlc
, man to have, built an art gallery. 81
went to Europe and ordered moder
paintings and copies of some of tn
/ "OEQ masters as well
of some famous statues. When th
]. Eboxes arrived at his home. on openin
e the one containing the "Venus de Milo
h to, his disappointment, the arms wei
i gone. He sued the Wel1s-Fargo Ell
press Company for damages and til
jury allowed them.
tThe wild greed for money,-eon
mercialism rampant-is probably tt
cause for neglect of higher things il
= tellectual, spiritual and beautiful.
Likes Elizabeth City
"You ask what do think of yor
city? 1t is beautiful One is sootht
!; blythe atmosphere of rest and peac
e Looking down it's well paved streets
/ Summer when the foliage of your MOI
# archial trees is full, the vista of tt
g river and distant horizon must be charm
: ing. You have a "self-government' {
automatic one because [ have new
heard the name of an official mentione
and the only need of control or persu
!! sion is indicated by the stalwart polio
e man on the corner.
e "And the women,-incomparab pa
II agons."