Evening star., 1925-03-22

ways well chosen or made; his contours
are sometimes a bit clumsy, but there
is a depth and richness in his work
which, despite an apparently reticent
nature, discovers itself upon acquaint-
ance.
Much of his painting is done on wood
rather than canvas and it is done
heavily, layer upon layer piled on with
knife or brush and literally modelled,
sometimes with the thumb, until 1t
takes on the effect almost Of a lacquer
q surface which tempts the finger tips
and doubtless will endure. And what
variety of color he uses! James
Huneker, that astute critic of art whose
writings are full of sparkling w.t. is
said once to have exclaimed: Lawson
has a palette of crushed jewels" an apt
figure for certainly upon close examina-
ton Lawson's paintings now on view
in the Phillips Memorial Gallery are
found to have jewel-like quality. AS
F. Newlin Price has said in an admir-
able article on Lawson in the February
number of the International Studio:
To-day the same glorious thread of
color weaves in and out of a more COM
plex, less obvious technical dexterity.
1t is color always dominat color and
sunlight of art, deep quality and vision,
sensitive feeling that grows from alb
sorbing examination of the moments
inspiration"
Mr.. Price gives an interesting account
of Mr.. Lawscn's life. He says:
His folks were tradesmen in the fish
cries, cod fisheries, who had come from
Boston in 1920 to settle the colony of
Dartmouth, opposite Halifax, for the
British Empire. Boats and the sea shine
are on his escutcheon." But by some
accident Ernest Lawson seems to have
haa in 10 xxyha hiS ant
were en- route for Dartmouth, having
drifted a bit out of their way. Art
does not seem to have been q tradition
in his family. At Is he worked in Mex
leo City rs assistant to an engineering
craftsman. Later he moved to Kansas
City, where he made his debut as a
painter at the Kansas City Art Club in
1889. His first excursion into painting
was the trick of stenciling table covers
and scarfs, taught by a wandering mer-
chant who offered him partnership. In
1890 he went to New York and worked
at the Art Students League, and then
to Cos Cob, where he came under the
influence of Twachtman and J. Alden
Weir This was his real beginning
Later still came Paris and contact with
the French impressionists. Lawson did
not attach himself to any school, but
worked out of doors, reaching out for
his own solution of the problem of inter-
preting light and color. Since 1898 he
has been living in Washington Heights
with the exception of occasional jour-
neyfngs to foreign parts'
One of the loveliest Of all his pic
lures now on view in the Phillips
Memorial Gallery is entitled New
England BircheS and shows an ex-
| tenaive landscape seen through a
screen of these lovely, slender trees
3hnVa hpiY III
| tain. 1t is exquisitely lovely and the
more one looks the more one wants
| to look, the more satisfying is the
picture. And yet 1t would be hard to
| choose between this and his poetic
! Interpretation of Spring" a simple
, little composition full of that mys-
terry of Springtime which we now be-
gin to see around us. Here, indeed.
| is poetic painter, one to whom Ma
! ture has spoken in no uncertain
| terms-one who has sought out and
discovered his own adequate method
| of expression, a craftsman of great
| skill, an artist of keen perception.
This exhibition will continue for
three more weeks.
X X \ y
r EWIS PAINTER CLEPHANE will
IL hold his annual exhibition of
paintings at his studio, 1115 I street
| northwest from March 29 to April IL,
| inclusive; week days from 10 am. to
$50 pm; Sundays, March 29 and
April and IL, 2 to 6 pm; Wednes-
days and Saturdays, April /, 4, and
II, to IL pm. Mr.. Clephane is not
sending out cards this year, but in
vites the public as well as friends.
Tea will be served on the three Sun
day afternoons.
The exhibition comprises Sc paint
ings-oils, water colors, pastels--
painted not only in Washington, the
Allegheny Mountains, the coast of
Maine and other picturesque parts
of the United States, but also at
volendam, Edam and other well
known places in Holland, in Venice,
Ravello and Naples, in Italy, and in
Sicily-certainly a great variety o.,
themes, - - - : :
ERED PAYNE CLATWORTHY will
show his beautiful autochromes
of the Western United States at the
Congregational Church next Friday
evening at s o'clock. This is just
as truly an exhibition of art as any
collection of painted pictures upon
the walls of gallery. At present
Mr. Clatworthy stands almost alone
in the making of lumiere plates from
nature which have both pictorial and
artistic beauty. He gives a brief
fravelogue in conn ection with the