Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-03
HE Society OF Washington Artists
forty-first annual exhibition opened
without formalities on New Year day
in the Corcoran Gallery Of Art, TO
continue through January IL. 1t rs

In the Corcoran Gallery Of Art, 70
continue through January ii. 1t rs
nm excellent show, varied, colorful,
md Ia the matter Of character, upstanong
md comparing favorably with the best local
sxty1s;tsosas held In ether cities Of even larger
pops,aation and where the patronage OF art Is
perhaps even greater than it Is here.
o~ste recently one hears 1t said that pictures
have gone out Of fashion, that interior Deco
rstors no longer recommend their placement
In the home and that walls should De pail
eled and plain or hung with decorative texaaes.
But Il this were So what becomes OF the nun
dreds of pictures painted every year IA tnese
United States. and how has the nnase wse
OF pictures been uprooted? In earliest child
hood the picture book makes strong appeal
As the wears pass this attraction shifts 10
other fields but it is never completely tost ana
it never will be. witness the present popu-
lsrtty OF pictures that move-movies. IL
there were no demand. no popular interest," no
inward urge artists would stop painting pic
lures and something very valuable IN pieaSur
able. recreational quality would be lost to the
world.
And this recalls the fact that William M
Chase once said he wished that over the door
If every art museum might be carved the WORDS
This is for your enjoyment, not your crltl-
cisn" 1t is of course, so much easier to critl-
CHE than to achieve.
Gallery of Art needs no apologies nor defense
for it is excellent and cannot fail to prove
pleasmable.
For the most part the exhibition, filling two
yalleries-tlrose set aside for transient exhibit
ton to the right and left of the great stair
WAYS made up of the work OF local painters.
although there are some distinguished exhib-
itors from out of town. Such, for instance, as
Hugh Breckenridge of Philadelphia But 1t does
not lack variety in subject matter or manner
If rendering Indeed, perhaps no exhibltlon
held by the Society of Washington Artists here
tofore has so completely reflected contempt
rary trends 1t is essentially modern without
being ultra modernistic-and that Is well we
must explore new paths or we shall lose the
spirit of adventure and become sterile. surely
there is nothing tmid or old-fashioned here
Great art? Well, perhaps not, but great ART
does not happen every day and Is not Always
recognizable at birth. But there is much gooo
art eyidencing gift and vision ON the part OF
out local painters.
The paintings shown in this exhibition we're
selected as usual, by the officers and Executive
Committee of the society but the prizes (bronze
nedals) were awarded by a jury consisting OF
Charles Dunn, Lesley Jackson and Minor
Jameson. They were as follows: For portrart-
ure including figure composition, to May ASH
ton for a three-quarter- length inquire OF
young woman; for landscape, to painting by
y,
still life to a painting by Ruth Porter Ward
for a study of potted begonia against tan
,ofored curtain; for sculpture to portrait
head of Maxwell Leggette by Gladys Huling
Theis-awards with which the public will find
little occasion to quarrel or complain.
MAY Ashton, the winner of the portrait
medal, is a Washingtonian, one-tine student
VI the Corcoran School and for considerable
humber of years teacher of art in our local
naIblic schools She has of late been making
rapid and steady progress and her works have
won placement in some Of the Leading exnl-
billions She is doubly represented in this ex-
hibition-in each instance by strong inquire
paintings. The prize painting is especially
good IN pose characterization and the rendltaon
Of the head these excellent qualities making
ample amend for certain obvious but unmpor-
tant shortcomings.
Mary Riley, member of the Society OF
washington Artists, and the Washington Water
Color Club is well known and her prize win
ming picture in her accustomed manner shows
competence command of medium and keen ar
tistic perception. 1t is delightful compost
ton finely rendered. What more could one
ask?
Ruth Porter Ward like Mrs: Ashton, Is twice
represented-by her charming still life SO skill
fully painted with strength and deiicacy OF
feeling, and by three-quarter- length portrait
of young violinist lacking somewhat In vigor
but spirited And Miss Porter is one OF the
younger group, only yesterday" as time Is
reckoned, enrolled a student In the Corcoran
Art School.
There are more figure paintings than usual in
this exhibition H. Schlereth, new name In
the catalogue shows two of exceedingly credit
able character, one of a young woman in yell
low the other Of a man in broWn-both studies
in character. Eben CominS is represented by
three-uuarter- length standing portrait of
Bishop Carroll Perry of Ipswich, Mass showing
an interesting lighting effect and an unusually
vital pose to which a place Of honor in the
south gallery has been assigned. Ruth Ander-
son of Boston sends a charming portrait OF
little girl in a leghorn hat seen in full outdoor
light and from Mrs. Kremelberg Gibson of Bal
timore has come painting of young woman
with red hair painted in the manner of the