Arizona republican., 1922-05-10
BY FREDERIC ]. HASkIN

NEW YORK, May ga helping
hand is soon to be extended to bud
ding genius in the state of New Yofk,
A new "art retreat is to be opened
in the near future to which poor but
promising artists may flee in sum-
mer from the oppressive heat and
noise of the city. Like the Mac
Dowell Colony at Peterborough, n.
H, it will be for all types of creative
artists. Writers, musicians, sculptors,
painters and poets will all be well
coined and encouraged to unhampered
self expression by the use of cool
quiet studios and strictly sympa-
thetic atmosphere.
The retreat is the gift of the late
Mrs. George Foster Peabody, and will
be located at Yaddo, the beautiful
700 acre estate which Mrs. Peabody
and her first 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 viii be
remodeled into studios. These are
set in private park of great natural
beauty, including hundreds of acres
of native woodland brooks, lakes,
waterfalls and gardens. There Is also
started during the war for the pur-
pose of raising the foodstuffs most
needed by the Allies. Now it viii be
devoted to the further patriotic task
OF supplying American artists with a
proper vitaminic diet.
The idea of dedicating Yaddo to
the arts was conceived by Mr. and
Mrs. Trask as early as 1900 when a
corporation was formed to carry out
the plan under the euphonious title
of the Trustees of Pine Garde. Mr.
Trask always had been deeply inter-
ested in art, and was one of the pat
rons of the National Arts club, while
at that time Mrs. Trask herself wrote
plays and poems under the name of
Katrina Trask. They were therefore
sympathetically aware of the tre-
mendous obstacles that beset the path
of the struggling creative artist Be-
sides themselves, the first board of
trustees included George Foster Pea
body, who had been business part
ner of Mr. Trask; Miss Allena G.
Pardee, DR.. Henry van Dyke and the
late Edward Shepard.
After Mr.. Trask's DEATH the board
was enlarged and the name changed
to Directors of the Pine Garde
Estate" The 10 present members
upon whom will fall the burden or
putting the art retreat into operation
are Mr.. Peabody, Miss Pardee, Mrs.
Mia Potter Sturges wife of the Rev.
Philemon f. Sturges, rector of Grace
church at Providence; DR.. van Dyke,
the Rev. DIR. Edwin Knox Mitchell,
Acosta Nichols. Thomas Mott Os-
borne, Edgar Truman Bracket. DAN
iel Chester French and DIR. John H
Finley. The value of the Trask gift
to American art will depend very
largely upon the sincerity and dis
erection 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 a time of the year when the
artistic temperament feels the need
Of a strategic retreat from the city.
During the winter, New York is
great little inspiration to the creative
faculties. It is an exciting stimulant
which constantly generates ideas and
prods personal ambition into action
But in the spring the drug loses its
power, producing nothing but fatigue
in the patient 1t is then that the
creative artist begins to resent the
fierce glare of the streets, the in
cessant thunder of the elevated the
raucous screech of unending traffic,
the dust and smoke of the factories,
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 contemplated than done.
THE American writer or painter or
composer or sculptor who is young,
who has made little money, but who
yet has given distinctive promise and
shown unplumbed potentialities has
but few resources" says one who is
well acquainted with the problem.
He may secure a patron, but ie is
unlikely in a country where earning
capacity is admired vastly more than
creative ability. He may leave the
country, but he is liable to die of
starvation in a foreign country or
pass all of his days struggling to pay
his bills
Even Mrs. Glare sheridan the Eng
lish sculptor whose diaries at least
have received a cordial welcome, finds
the world hostile toward the artistic
temperament in the spring. Il can
not live in America" she complained
recently II must have serenity.
would not live in England; have too
many relatives there. / could live in
Italy. but there is no money. Or in
Russia, but there is no food"
To the creative artist who finds
himself or herself in a dilemma of
this kind, the art retreat offers an
interesting solution. Nothing could