Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-05-06
GIVING AMERICAN ARTISTS
A LIFE IN THE FUTURE
Daily Letter by Frederic j. Haskir

NEW YORK CITY, May IA
helping hand is soon to be extended
10 budding genius in the state OF
New York. A new Fart retreat" is
to be opened in the near future to
which poor but promising artists
may fee in summer from the OPP
pressive heat and noise of the city.
Like the MacQowell Colony at Pet
erborough, N. H., it will be for all
types of creative artists. Writers,
musicians. sculptors, painters and
poets will all be welcomed and en-
eouraged to unhampered self-expres.
sion by the use of cool. quiet studios
and a strictly sympathetic atmos-
| phere.
The retreat is the gift of the late
Mrs. George Foster Peabody, and
will be located at Yaddo. 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 will be
remodeled into studios. These are
set in a private park of great ma
tural beauty, including hundreds of
q vi "OOaAdh6t
lakes. waterfalls and gardens. There
is also a large farm-an enterprise
that was started during the war for
the purpose of raising the foodstuffs
most needed by the Allies. Now 1t
will be devoted to the further patrio-
tic task of supplying American art
lists 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 euphenious
title of the Trustees OF Pine Garde.
Mr.. Trask always had been deeply
interested in art, and was one of the
patrons of the National Arts Club,
while at that time Mrs. Trask her.
self wrote plays and poems under
the name of Katrina Trask. They
were, therefore, sympathetically
aware of the tremendous obstacles
that beset the path of the struggling
creative artist. Besides themselves,
the first board of trustees included
George Foster Peabody. who had
been a business partner of Mr.. Trask.
Miss Allena G. Pardee, DIR. Henry
van Dyke and the late Edward shep-
ard.
After Mr.. Trask's death. the board
was enlarged and the name changed
to Directors of the Pine Garde Es-
tate" The ter 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 the
Rev. Philemon F. Sturges. rector of
Grace~church at Providence; DIR,
Van Dyke, the Rev. DR.. Edwin
Knox Mitchell. Acosta Nichols,
Thomas Mott Osborne, Edgar Tru-
man Bracket, Daniel Chester
French and DR.. John H. Finley. The
| value 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 II
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 a 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 moth
ing but fatigue in the patient. 1t II
| then that the creative artist begins
to resent the fierce glare of streets,
the ~incessant thunder of the elevat
ed, the raucous screech of unendins
trafhc, the dust and smoke of tbs
factories. the stale atmosphere o
the crowds. His work suffers. and So
does his health. He feels that M
must get away, but with a slim banl
account this is easier contemplated
than done.
"The American writer or painte
OF composer or sculptor who !
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 will
the problem. HE may ecure a pa
tron. but it is unlikely in a eountr,
where earning capacity is admire'
vastly more than creative ability. Il
may leave the country. but he
liable to die of starvation in a for
eign country or pass all of his day
struggling to pay his bills"
Even Mrs. Clare Sheridan, tn
English sculptor. whose diaries q
Isaa have received = cordial we