Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-12
Quits Business for Art
wATER-co1oR1sr EXHIBITS WORKS HERE


France, Switzerland, Labrador
IL and the United States has been
attracting art lovers to the
Dunthorne Galleries since last Mon
day. never held q paint brush or
mixed a color until six years ago. At
the present time, he has never at
tended an art school nor taken instruc-
tons in painting.
At "a, Mr.. O'Hara was engaged in
carrying on the business for which ne
had been educated, that of a manu-
facturer. For Is years, he had given
his time and his interest to an enamel
ing plant in Waltham, Mass, bust
ness which had occupied his father
before him.
In 1924, interested in the work of
numerous artist friends, he decided one
day to try his own hand at painting.
Buying box of paints, he jokingly
told his friends he would, show them
how to paint a landscape. Good-hu-
moredly, they watched him dabble with
his colors. He was surprised when ne
was told that his SKY was not SO bad.
Water Color Of Dump Pile.
One of the artists first water colors
was of the dump pile behind his fac
tory. The painting was sold. After a
few months. in which he Sketched and
painted during every available moment,
he held "one-man exhibit" in BoS-
ton. He sold three of his paintings
pand, encouraged, sent several others to
the Pennsylvania Academy in Phila-
delphia. Three Of these paintings were
hung in the academy.
Mr.. OHara decided to try for fell
lowship awarded by the Guggenheim
Memorial Foundation. He was one of
four artists who was given one of these
sought-after fellowships.
1t was then that the business man
and manufacturer, who through his
achievements in the industrial world
had been made member of the Ameri-
can Society of Mechanical Engineers,
took the plunge into world entirely
unknown to him until his thirty-fifth
year and severed the ties completely
which held him to his LIES calling.
It took tremendous courage to do that,
for Mr.. O'Hara had wife and two
babies to support, and he was unknown
in the art world, as well as mex
perienced.
However" explained the artist,
latter winning the Guggenheim fell
lowship, felt convinced that with hard
work, 1 could make a living for my
self and family by my painting. The
fellowship enabled me to go to Europe
with my family, and it was while there
that I found the greatest inspiration
in my work-Russia."
Travelled Through Russia.
Mr.. OHara in 1929 Travelled for three
months throughout the length and
breadth of Russia. He is probably the
first and only American to have done
any extensive painting in the land OF
the Soviet since the war.
"Of all the countries in Europe" said
Mr.. O'Hara, 81 consider Russia the
greatest inspiration to artists. 1 highly
recommend it to American artists as an
ideal place for creative art. Despite
the stories which are circulating as to
espionage on the part of Soviet officials
the discomfort and difficulty of travelling
or the restrictions placed upon foreign
erS, canQRt say that I experienced
any such drawbacks. OF course, never
discussed politics, nor did visit
factories or take interest in industrial
activities. went as an artist, to enjoy
the beauty of the most inspiring land
scapeS and scenic effects in the world
The Caucasus Mountains are even more
beautiful than the Alps. The people
were very friendly and showed genuine
interest in my work They did every
thing they could do to make it easy
for me to find subjects of interest, and
never in any way annoyed me when
working out of doors"
my advice to artists travelling In
Russia, is to take their own materials
Those obtainable in Russian are not
very good"
Praised by British Press.
From Russia, Mr.. O'Hara visited Lon.
don, where he received flattering recog-
milton from the British press, art critics
and art lovers, and had the unprece.
| dented record of an American Of
selling one of his water colors to the
Mappin Art Gallery of Sheffield, Eng.
| land, as well as a number of Others
sold to prominent personages of London
Upon his return to this country last
year, Mr.. O'Hara travelled to Labrador
where he made some interesting studies
of icebergs.
At the exhibition last Fall Of the
American Water Color Society and the
New York Water Color Club. held in
New York, the artist was awarded the
Irving Brokaw prize for his painting
THE Bridge at Ronda."
Mr.. OHara denies that his success
Is due to extraordinary talent.
II believe that all success in art comes
through hard work." he said. "YeS, II
took courage to give up my other work
at my age, but I do not think I will
regret it. 1t means however, that to
! achieve success at my age, one must
work twice as fast"
Although this is his first exhibit held
in Washington, Mr.. O'Hara has many
friends in the city, having married Miss
Shirley Putnam, daughter of DR.. Put
nam Of the Library of Congress, few
years ago.
Early in the Spring, Mr. O'Hara will
leave with his family for a tour of the