The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-09
OEEANNGS
-\FRcH THEN
ElE1kSpE oFART
sBy(drl PRoLmar

women Painters and Sculptors. held
In New York City during the month
of October, was an oil landscape by
Mrs Fern I. Coppedge, who for sew
eral years was resident of Topeka
Mrs Coppedge's picture received fav-
orable mention from the critics.
At the close of this exhibition, the
pictures and sculpture were di-
Nlded into two groups. One group
consisting of 40 paintings, 20 minia-
lures and 20 pieces of sculpture. was
sent to the Corcoran Art Gallery at
Washington, d. c. to be shown there
November 3 to December 3. the
other group. containing "a paintings,
p small bronzes and II miniatures,
was sent on a tour OF the United
American Federation of Arts The
first exhibition of the tour was held
in November at the HiIyer Art Gal
lery. Smith College, Northampton,
Mass.
The Association of Women Painters
and Sculptors includes in its member
ship, women with talent, living in
every part of the United States. Some
paintings by European women were
also shown at the New York eSShibi-
ton.
An exhibition OF paintings of the
West was held during the month of
November, in the Plumb Memorial
building. at Emporia, Kan. Most of
the work shown was by Western art
lists and included that of several mem
bers of the Taos Art Colony.
And this. by the way. reminds me
that the American Magazine OF Art
for December contains an eXceiIent
article on Walter Ufer, president or
the Taos Art Colony, and tells about
his wonderful exhibition now on at
the Corcoran Art Gallery in WASH
ington The article is gen erously
Illustrated with beautiful black and
white half tones Of the best pictures
in this exhibition.
There are two\er. three other arti-
cIes in this months number of the
American Magazine of Art which
should be well worth reading one OF
these is Costume Design, by Harry
Collins. Mr.. Collins tells what 1t Is
that controls styles in dress in the
United States, and how the logical de-
velopment of artistic des Sns for COS
tune and fabric is controlled by cSn-
merciaI considerations He also lays
down some simple hints regarding IN
dividuality in dress.
There is an article on Duncan
Fhyfe. the famous American cabinet
maker of the late eighteenth and /
early nineteenth centuries, telling OF
beautiful furniture that was designed
and turned out at Phyfe's workshop |
The article is illustrated by more than
4 dozen cuts.
A fourth article to which I would
call special attention, is The Deco /
ratfve Art Of Robert Winthrop Chan /
Ter As Seen in His Recent Exhibition /
in Philadelphia" In this exhibition /
Mr. Chanler showed a remarkable |
group of screens. tapestry panels and /
mural decorations in which wonder l
fully beautiful decorative effects were /
obtained solely thru the utilizing of /
natural plant and animal forms |
grouped in a clever manner
Among the exhibits was a screen /
on which were painted a number of |
pOrcupines running about amongst
the trees in a forest The animals
are so grouped or distributed over the :
canvas as to form highly decorative
design. vet the result is accomplished |
with such subtlety and skill that all |
appearance of intention and formahty !
is eliminated.
A decorative panel shows four or
five giraffes feeding on the leaves OF
a cluster of tall trees Here the great |
facts of nature have been worked into !
a most wonderful and original effect /
The tall bodies of the giraffes and the |
straight trunks of the trees together
form a series of pleasing vertical lines
which are broken. and relieved from |
all monotony by the spots on the ami |
mails bodies and the patches of foli- |
age
Even in the black and white repro |
duction. this panel is one of the most !
impressive examples of decoration
veals resources and possibilities for
the decorator hitherto little realized, |
or at least seldom used
Mr. Chanler is unique in that he has
grasped the decorative possibilities of I
a fact naturalists long since have
pointed out. namely that animals !
blend in form and color with the J
scenery amongst which they live. APP I
parently. his-work marks the begin !
ming of new epoch in decorative art. /
The American Federation of Arts !
is now engaged in membership cam |
paign. In Topeka, the work is under /
supervision of Mrs L. c Hodge and
Mrs. Harry F. Gavitt- The drive be- /
gan December and will end Decem- |
Der IS
As the American Federation Of Arts I
has done, is doing. more for the I.
spread of artistic knowledge and cul- /
ture thruout the United States than 1
any other organization or force, it de- ,
serves the hearty backing ana co
operation of every person in the
United States who has the general |
welfare at heart.
In order to stimulate interest and |
award effort. membership competi- !
tions have been instituted by the fed !
Grafton. in cities and large towns in 1
different sections of the country, and /
prizes have been offered to communi- \
ties obtaining the largest membership I
in a given time, the award to fall to
the town that gets the largest num- |
Der of members in proportion to its
population.
The prizes to be awarded are IlVe /
paintings and five etchings which a |
number of Americas foremost artists /
have donated for the purpose Also |
a large Medici print of The Sack \
VILE Children by Hoppner.
The painters who have donated ex- /
amDles of their work are Charles c. 1
C1rrau, N. A. Charles Warren Eaton. 1
Birge Harrison. Francis G. Jones and 1
Frederic J. Waugh. The etchers are
Frank W. Benson. Lester G. Hornsby, 4
Joseph PenneH. David Roth and 4
Everett L. Warner. Mr.. Jones's 4
painting Music in the Studio" is the .
prize reported to have been assigned i
10 the section in which Topeka is To- 4