Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-05
C. c. c. ART EXHIBIT
SHOWS FRESHNESS
200 Pictures Produced by
Corps Members Have
Direct Quality.
BY LEILA MECHLIN.

colors and drawings by artists in the
Civilian Conservation Corps was
opened by Mrs Roosevelt yesterday
in the foyer of the National Museum
and will be found of unusual charac-
ter and quality.
The 200 or more exhibits included
in this collection have been selected
from a much larger number produced
since June. 1884, by men enrolled in
the c. c. c. camps. These men
never more than 100 at time-had
all had training in art, but were COM
paratively young and untried, and the
job given them was to make a pictorial
record of camp life and surroundings,
how and in what medium being left
to their own preference.
Each artist, when assigned to a
camp. was enrolled on precisely the
same status as other workers; received
room, board. clothing. medical atten-
ton and $50 month, and was re-
CURED to give 40 hours work a week
in return. Whatever materials he
used he had to supply. and the paint
ings and drawings when finished be-
came the property of the Federal Gov
eminent, to be allocated to public
buildings in Washington and else
where in much the same way that
similar works produced under the P.
w. A. P. were
Work Has Freshness.
But on the whole, the scheme seems
to have worked better in this case
than III that Perhaps because the
scope of subject matter was more linn
ited and living conditions better, or
possibly the artists applying were
more robust II is also not lmprob-
able that old Dame Nature, with whom
these artists we're brought face to face,
NAV have had something TO say. In
any event. the work now set forth is.
in most instances, fresh. direct and
often quite lovely. No one could see
it without being impressed by its sim
certify and lack Of sell consciousness.
Apparently the artists who produced
it were of healthy mind and happy.
As the C. C. C. camps are in all
parts of the country, there IS great
variety of scene. and every type OF
landscape from Maine to Arizona and
from coast TO coast is represented.
Also, there is variety in the work
and play portrayed. the gamut run
ming from The cooks in the kitchen
to men building a great dam, from
the campfire musicians 10 those en-
joying the privileges Of the ole SWIM
ming hole
Primarily, all this work is Illus
trative-but so in the past have been
the greatest works of the greatest
masterS-and none can say that here
and there bit of pure art for arts
sake has not Crept in,
Outstanding are the water colors of
Paul Riba done in Great Teton Park.
Wyoming, among which is one of
group of boys swimming, which
recalls Bellows inimitable Forty
Kids in the Corcoran Gallery OF
Art, to say nothing of several views
Of Western landscape rendered with
knowledge and fine feeling.
Edgar D. H. Hegh shows a typical
landscape of the Maine coast, painted
from Arcadia National Park. Mount
DeSeret, and an oil painting by Joseph
j. Stepaniack of a group of workmen
at Myrtle Beach. S. C. is good in
composition and forceful in preSenta-
ton
Obviously, a modern note is sounded
Norman r. Burman shows two camp
"Abstra Ctions" that are clever and
very amusing. and some Of the other
painters employ in varying degrees
the current VernaCular but not OBJ
jeCtionably. The works Of E. J. Fitz
Gerald, Tom Rost. jr Edward Nor
ton. D. d. Bayard-all new names
would hold their own in any con-
temporary show and properly win
honorS. Among the oil paintings.
besides those already mentioned, the
works of Stanley Dale, George G.
Snyder, Albert 6. Hull and CreSton
F. Baumgartner deserve commenda-
ton. Here and there a solemn note
is struck, as in very melancholy
Boy at Stove by Douglas Taylor.
but in greater number of instances
there is CLINT of humor. Poisoning
Grasshoppers" as an occupation has
a provoking inference in itself
Black and White Section Small.
1t is said that not infrequently, be-
cause of expense, some of the artists
in this large group confined them
selves to work in pencil and charcoal
until the first pay day came around
and then, properly equipped. plunged
into color, but the black and white
section of this exhibition is smaller
than might be expected. Two Studies
in Outline" by Douglas Taylor in this
alCove are very good figure drawings
The fact is that from first to last
all these exhibits have a lively in
tereSt and real merit.
An unusual feature is a case filled
with letters from the artists to Edward
B. Rowan, formerly in charge of P.
w. A. P. work and now superintendent
of the painting and sculpture section.
procurement division of the Treasury
Department, under whose supervision
this art work in the camps has been
conducted. The letters show appre-
citation of opportunity and of the Gov
eminent as patron. That the artists
have done their bit is testified by ap-
proving letters from their camp SUI
perintendents. Their presence has
created much interest among the other
enrolled workers; there have been
lively discussion of the works and i'm
promptu lectures, even when a camp
was not far distant from a city visit
to the art museum under guidance of
the artist member. In short, these
artists have proved themselves to be