Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-06


the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Miss Oakley is one Of the outstanding woman
artists of our generation. Her reputation Is
not merely national but international. Among
her numerous and renowned achievements are
her decorations in the State Capitol at Harris
burg, early mural compositions from the lie
of William Penn. She has made careful re-
search and given profound study to Penn's life,
and has, as result, brought forth "a portfolio
of text and illustrations entitled, THE Holy
Experiment" quoting from Penns own phrase
in the foundation of his State, which, as con-
trbution not merely to art but to StateShip,
government, is outstanding.
Miss Oakley is strong advocate OF interna-
tional peace and great believer in the League
of Nations. She has lately returned from two
year sojourn abroad during which time she
travelled extensively, held, under distinguished
patronage, exhibitions in Spain and in England,
and spent considerable time at Geneva.
In a foreword to the catalogue of her ex-
hibition, shown for the first time at the Art
Alliance, in Philadelphia, in January, Harrison
S. Morris of Philadelphia wrote as follows:
"She brings to us a series of noble heads
(portrait drawings, including almost the whole
cluster of stars who form the League of Nations.
With fidelity to likeness, but no abatement
of the standards of the highest art in this
medium, Miss Oakley has produced the faces
of those We all know in international fame, as
"
of Mankind" which meets TO redress the worlds
grievances at Geneva. Here are BRAND and
Lord Cecil, Sir Austen Chamberlain and Pade-
rewSki Masaryk and StreSemann, with a score
more who are in the daily dispatches But be-
sides these of Geneva are many handsome
women pref1gured by the once Queen of Grace.
and her majestic daughters, Princess Radziwill
and Lady Drummond and head of Lady Aston
done at her house, in England, which inter-
prets all the power and beauty in that brilliant
character. These are a few typical works. It
must be left to the catalogue to list the whole
interesting group who are in the spotlight OF
international diplomacy. And If, with such
glowing list. Miss Oakley would give her init
mate comments on the way in which some of
them were caught, often like moving pictures
through an opera glass at great dinners or
from the high balcony of the League, it would
make an Illustrated history, anecdotic and per-
Sonal, OF the momentouS sessions set moving
by President Wilson, himself not present, we
ali know why.
Those Of us who have kept pace with Violet
Oakley from the early times of the academy
schools and of her first studio on Chestnut
street, through the years Of the steady produc-
ton OF beautiful things, and of growth in the
intellectual quality of her art, will feel cor
dial satisfaction that this group of her latest,
and, perhaps, her fullest, work has thus come
home to us for our admiration and to give US
the chance to express our personal congratula-
tons"
After this collection was shown in Philadel-
phia 1t was exhibited at the Grand Central
Art Galleries, in New York. It now comes for.
tunately, to our National Capital. Miss Oak.
ley, herself feels that the showing of this work
here will constitute the most important exhibit.
ton Of it in America. She, herself, has per-
sonaly supervised the hanging, and will be
present this afternoon at the opening And
fiSOan rfv1 he
1t is hoped that she will give an informal talk
on THE Miracle Of Geneva" in the galleries
where the drawings are on view, as she did
during the Philadelphia Art Alliance exhibition
and at the Grand Central Galleries
A 7 the Arts Club, 2017 street collections of
waters colors by Emma Mendenhall and
Dixie Selden, both of Cincinnati, will be placed
on view this afternoon
Miss Mendenhall is member of the New
York Water Color Club, the American Water
Color Society, the Washington Water Color
Club, the National Arts Club of New York and
the National Association of Women Painters
and Sculptors. She has travelled much, and her
work shows not only command of medium, but
Keen artistic perception. She studied at the
Cincinnati Art Academy under that great mas
ter, Frank Duveneck; then at the Julian Acade-
my, in Paris, and from time to time under
Rhoda Holmes, Nichols, Woodbury. and Smell,
and has proved herself to be an apt pupil.
Dixie Selden, her fellow townsman, likewise
studied under Duveneck and Smell. but also
under William M. Chase. She, too. is a mem
Der of the National Association of Women
Painters and Sculptors, and other organizations.
She has always been a strong painter and
shown in her work marked individuality, but in
recent years her work has gained refinement
without loss OF virility She paints landscapes,
boats and figures, apparently equally well.
The water colors and oils by Miss Mendenhall
and Miss Selden will be shown on the first
floor at the Arts Club, whereas upstairs there
will be exhibited studies and sketches by the
late Charles Stewart Alden of Washington,
made in Arizona, France and Switzerland