Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-18

~ 9TH exhibitions at the Arts Club at
the present time are more than COM
monty interesting Mr.. Stevens paint
ings fill the auditorium, Miss Porter's
dignity and beautify the first floor
reception and dining rooms. Either should prove
a sufficient inducement to visitors, and adequate
reward to those who for the purpose of viewing
are obliged to step out of their way
Mr. Stevens shows both oil paintings and
water colors. The majority Of his subjects
are of foreign places; some Of the most inter-
esting are italian and Swiss scenes. None who
have visited Fiesole could fail to recognize and
find pleasure in his pictorial representations OF
streets, buildings and characteristic views of
this famous hill town near Florence. Another
extremely interesting subject Is an Alpine scene
in which the long, slender spire of little
church ves in interest with a snow-covered peak
not far distant.
Mr.. Stevens work in both mediums is strong,
colorful and vivid CuriOusy enough, his out
door pictures, however, are not atmospheric, do
not take into account those curtains of air
which serve as wells to distance and ofttimes
lend subtle mystery to the commonplace. There
il nothing subtle or myterious about the paint
ings which Mr.. Stevens is showing here at this
time. They are frank and obvious and tell the
whole story from beginning to end, so that all
who run may read. The wheel OF time again
seems TO have revolved, bringing back to us a
kind Of realistic painting which for some years
seemed to have disappeared.
The auditorium of the Arts Club serves adj
mirably a little gallery but where works are
strong, colorful and vivid as are Mr.. Stevens,
they appear to better advantage when shown
with abundant space. In the present exhibition
the paintings are a little overcrowded to be seen
TO the best effect.
Miss Porter, whose works are to be seen in
the adjacent rooms at the Arts Club, is a New
Yorker, and has not exhibited here before. She
is evidently one Of those, however, who has a
keen appreciation of beauty in nature and the
power TO interpret it. Almost without excep-
ton the paintings she shows here at this time
not only admirably rendered, but inherently
charming-pictures with which one would be
glad to live
To paint rugged scenes to interpret strong
subjects acceptably, requires very much less
ability than to paint that which is beautiful,
subtle, appealing, in such wise that no faint
Of mere prettiness fingers to offend. This Miss
Porter achieves Her compositions are well ar
ranged, her choice of subjects excellent, her
manner of transcription skillful and sensitive
Seldom, indeed, does one find paintings of this
character, admirable and at the same time
so pleasurable. No doubt Miss Porter has a dis
corning eye and touch skillful and sympa-
thetic. 1t is seen in her smallest sketch as
well as in her most finished canvases.
As Miss Porter is among those who have late
1y arrived" the prices of her works are still
remarkably low. Where painters of greater
reputation are charging 1,00O and more for
their works, Miss Porter's prices are from $25
to 5000. The wise collector is he who recog-
nizes ability when he it and buys while
regulations are still in the making and before
prices have been advanced through fame.