Evening star., 1928-04-08

rHE Washington Water Color Ci0o
cpened its tairty-Seeond annual
exhibition yesterday III the Ma
tional Gallery OF Art, United
States National Museum, Tenth
and + streets, to continue through S1n-
cav Nav 6. over 400 works in water
color technique, but they have diScov-
included in the catalogue, TheS, ar>
shown in the large center gallery and
On screens in an adjacent gallery ana
collectively they make & very att ACTIVE
exhibition.
There is no doubt that more progress
has been made in recent years III tha
artistic handling of water color than IN
any other painting medium Not onN
have our American painters OF iats
acquired extraordinary facility III water
color technique but they have diScov-
cred in the medium heretofore unreal
tsed potentialities When the Washing
ton Water Color Club was organized
impetus had been given TO watSr color
painting by the achievements of th>
Dutch school, especially we'll known and
appreciated in this country. The tend
ency then. and for some years was TO
follow quite directly the footsteps oi the
Dutch painters 10 use gouache on gray
paper or 70 paint on Wet white paper
with a full. flowing brush, William n
Holmes director Of the National Gal
ierv Of Art and president Of the Wash
taSton Water Color Club, was one OF
the few who persisted in the Use of clear
color and q crisp technique, Ths re-
cent progress IL water color painting
seems to have come from a mEgeing
OF these two methods. for the eeS, water
coloriStS today are using white paper
and a full, flowing brush. and at the
same time maintaining, through direct
treatment. = crisp effective technique.
TO be sure. they have had the example
Of winSlow Homer and of John Singer
Sargent. both Of whom, through their
handing Of this medium. have eNertco
q powerful influence Perhaps the reS-
son for the progress and q cause OF
this influence may be found III the tact
that both Winslow Homer and John
SARGENT recognized not only the poten-
tialities but the limitations of this me-
6ium. and when they employed II cid
not attempt TO press it too fsr or to
initiate work in any other medium.
The first impression that the visitor
receives on entering the gallery where
an the major portion Of this local exhibit
is hung is Of color. freshness and charm.
This is due not only 10 the variety and
quality Of the work shown, but also its
excellent arrangement The Washing
ton Water Color Club has always put
forth excellent exhibitions. It embraces
az1 its membership skilful artists who
stand with the best IN the country. and
they wisely open their annual show to
artists IN other places. thereby eflcour-
aging comparison and evidencillg hos
pttality.
Among the notable out-of-town ex-
hibitors this year is Stanley Woodward
OF Boston. nephew Of the Woodwards
who established the firm of Woodward
e. Lothrop of this city. Stanley Wood
ward has made a speciality Of marine
subjects and is now reckoned among
our strongest painters of the sea. He
Is represented in this exhibition by four
characteristic marines. ir all Of which
he has introduced the human element
Through the medium Of boat or ship.
They are excellent paintings. giving
The observer sense Of spaciousness.
Of motion. Of the boundless sea. but
without exaggeration, without forced
effect.
Another interesting group from out
Of town comes from Felicie Waldo
Howell. an associate Of the National
Academy Of Design, who grew UP in
washington and is still claimed as a