The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-04

| new 1OIk Clty, May "a 0elp'
ing hand is soon to be extended tt
budding genius in the state of New
York. A new art retreat" is to be
opened in the near future to which
poor but promising artists may
/ fee in summer from the Oppressive
heat and noise of the city. Like
the Mcdowell colony at Peterbor.
ough, N. H., 1t will be for all types
of creative artists. Writers. must
clans, sculptors, painters and poets
will all be welcomed and encour-
aged to unhampered self-expres-
sion by the use of cool, quiet stu
dos and strictly sympathetic at
mosphere.
The retreat Is the gift OF the late
Mrs. George Foster Peabody, and
will be located at Yaddo, the beau
tiful 780-acre estate which Mrs.
Peabody and her 6rst husband
Spencer Trask. created out of the
woodlands near Saratoga Springs
On the estate is one OF the finest
country houses in that part OF New
York. as well as many smaller
buildings that will be remode led
into studios. These are set in a
private park of great natural beau
ty, including hundreds of acres of
| native woodland, brooks, lakes,
waterfalls and gardens There is
also large farm-an enterprise
that. was started during the war for
the purpose of raising the food
stuffs most needed by the allies.
Now it will be devoted to the fur
Their patriotic task of supplying
American artists with a proper vi
taminie diet.
The idea of defeating Yaddo to
the arts was conceived by Mr.. and
Mrs. Trask as early as 1900 when
corporation was formed to carry
out the plan under the auphonious
title of the Trustees of Pine Garde.
ME- Trask always had been deep
ly interested in art, and was one
of the patrons OF the National Arts
club. while at that time Mrs Trask
herself wrote plays and poems I'M
der the name of Katrina frask.
They were therefore pathetical-.
ly aware of the tremendous obsta-
eles that heset the path OF the
struggling creative artist Besides
themselves, the first board of trus-
tees included George Foster Pea
body, who had been a business
partner of Mr.. Trask: Miss Aliena
G. Pardee. DIR. Henry Van Dyke
and the late Edward Shepard.
After Mr.. Trask's death the board
was enlarged and the name chang
ed to Directors of the Pine Garde
Estate" The 10 present members
upon whom will fall the burden of
putting the art retreat into opera
ton are Mr.. Peabody, Miss Pardee,
Mrs. Mia Potter Sturges, wife of
Rev. Philemon F. Sturges. rector
of Grace church at Providence; DR..
Van Dyke, Rev. DIR. Edwin Knox
Mitchell. Acosta Nichols, Thomas
Mott Osborne, Edgar Truman
Bracket, Daniel Chester French
and DR.. John H. Finley The val
ue Of the Trask gift to American
art will depend very largely upon
the sincerity and discretion of this
board.
Joy in Art Circles.
The news of the legacy has
spread a good deal Of cheer among
New York art circles, especially as
it comes at time of the year when
the artistic temperament feels the
need of strategic retreat from the
city. During the winter New York
is a great little inspiration to the
creative faculties. 1t is an excit-
ing stimulant which constantly
generates ideas and prods personal |
ambition into action. But in the
spring the drug loses it's power,
producing nothing but fatigue in
the patient. It is then that the ere
alive artist begins to resent the !
fierce glare of the streets, the in
cessant thunder of the elevated, the !
raucous screech of amending traffic,
the dust and smoke of the factor
les, the stale atmosphere of the |
crowds. His work suffers, and so |
does his health. He feels that he /
must get away. but with a slim |
bank account this is easier contem- |
plated than done.
The American writer or painter |
young. who has made little money,
but who yet has given distinctive |
promise and shown unplumbed po-
tentialities, has but few resources"
says one who is well acquainted
with the problem. He may secure
} patron, but it is unlikely in a
where earning capacity is
admired vastly more than creative
ability. He may leave the country,
but he is liable to die of starvation
n a foreign country or pass all OF
ais days struggling to pay his
bills"