Evening star., 1931-12-27

In 1906 he went to New York to study at the
Art Students League and almost Immediately
won prize for portrait OF fellow student,
Patsy O'Keefe,' VINO in reality Georgia
OKeefe, the modernlSt painter, who has her
self attained such exceptional distinction.
Shortly thereafter Speicher entered Robert
Henri's school and there made the acquain-
tance> of George Bellows, Rockwell Kent, Hop
per and others, BY wtcm undoubtedly he was
much Influenced. But Speicher was not one
to follow; it was his part to lead. He has
developed distinctly a style of his own and
held firmly to it. Furthermore. he paints and
draws only what makes to him appeal. He
deliberately abandoned the career of a por-
trait painter because he was not willing to
attempt to please any but himself; he
would not be bound 1t is said that for two
years he shut himself in his studio at Wood
stock, N. Y. and studied and analy2ed the
qualities of Cezannc, Renoir and other leaders
of the Post impre5Sionist school, and that from
this self-impcsed discipline he learned much.
But he is still frankly American.
In connection with an excellent and appre-
ciative article by Helen Appleton Read pub
liShed some time ago in one of the leading
art magazines. Mr.. Speicher himself Is quoted
IS having said Il believe in skill properly
used, and know of no master who is not q
master craftsman. Sheer essence can only be
thrown into vivid relief by the conquering Of
ones means. My work can be no greater than
I am and continued enrichment of my life Is Of
great concern to me. Any subject that re-
leases me and sets my creative faculties in
motion, believe to be adequate subject. It
Is what take to the subject that is of i'm
portance. When 1 successfully express myself,
my work is photographed, and registers what
appreciation and understanding Of life
have"
With reference to Mr. speicher's drawings,
Mrs. Read says: They are by no means to be
regarded as preliminary sketches or notes, but
are complete statements existing for themselves
as works of art Drawn on cameo paper which
admits of no erasures, they are ordered, in
ciSive statements of the essentials Of form and
design which the subject presents. Very often
the quality suggested in the drawings is not
retained in the elaboration of statement nee.
essary for finished painting. Speicher's i'm
portance is attested to by the fact that his
paintings In all their labored carefully con-
sidered process of being, come through will.
their largeness and simplicity, their first fresh
reaction unimpaired" Obviously this fresh
ness finds first expression In his drawings.
Mrs. Read also speaks Of Mr.. SpeicherS
prize winning proclivities, and very reasonably,
for he has successfully won the Proctor Por-
trait Prize, National Academy of Design, the
Isidor Prize, Salmagundi Club; Third Hallgar-
ten Prize, National Academy of Design; First
Hallgarten Prize Beck Gold Medal for Por-
traiture. Pennsylvania Academy Of the Fine
Arts; Third Carnegie Prize, Pittsburgh; Potter
Palmer Gold Medal, Art Institute Of Chicago.
and the Second w. A. Clark Prize, Corcoran
Gallery of Art. He Is represented by paintings
IN the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Phillips
Memorial Gallery this city, the Metropolitan
Museum Of Art, New York; the Albright Gal-
lery, Buffalo; the Cleveland Museum Of Art.