Evening star., 1937-10-16

HOWARD UNIVERSITY CALLER
tions of living American art
versity says. "Kents ability to keep
abreast Of the times without becoming
too involved in little things about
him."
DERHAPS it is the contemporary
element in his post Office mural
paintings that has proved stumbling
block. Great art is both universal
and eternal; to record contemporary
incident is the part of the photog-
rapher or of the illustrator; when an
artist reflects life it is life with its
full significance.
Rockwell Kent is not only an artist
bringing to use a better understand
ing of things felt as we'll as seen. but
a successful artist as the world reck-
ons success. From his paintings and
drawings he has derived a handsome
livelihood. His Alaskan work was
financed by purchase of stock in
Rockwell Kent. Inc" and the stock
holders received cash dividends. Kent S
books have sold well. His illustrations
are in great demand. Therefore, to
suggest, as some have, that the much
discussed letter from Greenland in
his Puerto Rican mural was put there
purposely to attract attention and
secure self-advertising is in the last
degree absurd Such would contro-
vert the ideal which Kent has voiced,
not only verbally, but in his drawings
and paintings THE highest merit
and most moving quality that work
of art can have" he has said lis in
tegrity." 1t is the integrity of his
work which, even when it falls below
his best in artistic standard, sets it
apart and commands respect.
Prize A1Ddrds in Landscape Club
Exhibition Endorsed By
Artists and Laymen.
r ARELY do prize awards in exhi-
bitlons Of art meet with public
favor, but those voted in the Land
scape Clubs twenty-fourth annual.
which opened in the Arts Club of
Washington on October 3, are the
exception, for, by artists and laymen
alike, they have been favorably re-
celved and regarded The method of
award was unusual The club resolved
itself into a committee of the whole.
and the competing works we're voted
upon individually, by points, as in a
scholastic contest.
The painting thus winning first
place, and so awarded the clubs new
medal, was Charles Bittinger's paint
ing of the Drawing Room at Arling-
ton" previously shown in the Cor
coran Gallery of Arts most recent
biennial, outstanding then, as now,
for skill in execution and charm of
color and composition.
Next in merit among the oils came
Minor S. Jamesons delightful land
Scape, "Taconic Hills" hung over the
mantel in the reception room. to
which was voted honorable mention.
Garnet Jex Won honorable mention
for water color entitled Back Of
Village, Maine" colorful and broadly
rendered, while to c. Allen Sherwin
went honorable mention in the black
and-white section for his etching,
Southern Tramp" an old yacht re-
rigged for river trade, slender of body
narrow Of beam, tall masted, but car
rying incongruous cross-stays for ex-
ira canvas, yet graceful still-a plate
well etched and significant.
The purchase prizes were, it is un-
derstood, chosen by the donor with
the approval Of the committee. In
this group, two works by Rowland
Lyon were selected, and he was thus
doubly honored. His Low Tide" an
admirable little painting. received the
$100 purchase prize for an oil, and his
Mexico City, IL AM" received the
$40 prize for a water color, while to
Oke Nordgren went the $40 prize in
the same class for a print entitled
"Oyster Bay" These awards were
formally presented at the Arts Club
last Sunday afternoon.
Exhibit of Meddllic Art to
Open in the Arts Club.
NEXT Tuesday evening, October 10,
the second of the seasons special
craft exhibitions will be held at the
Arts Club. under the auspices of the
Committee on Industrial Arts, headed
by G. A. Scheirer This will consist
of u medals and medallions, mostly
in bronze, lent by Clyde c. Trees,
president Of the Medallic Art %. OF
New York, which has reproduced
much of the medallic work done by
American sculptors, and has also made
dies and reductions of sculptors
models for United States coins struck
at the Mint. Sculptors who are rep
resented in this exhibition include
Paul Manship, Laura Gardin Fraser,
r. TAFT Mckenzie, Gutzon Borglum,
Brenda Putnam, Daniel Chester
French, Frederick MacMonnies, Gae-
tano Cecere and many others. All
the medals struck for the Society OF
Medallists for its members are in
cluded. It is interesting to know
that the sculptors commissioned to
create this society's medals work
without restriction other than that
they shall express some ideal worthy
of perpetuation in imperishable ma
terial. They are issued only to men,
bers and are obtainable solely through
annual subscription. Great variety
is to be seen in subject, method and
treatment, and much may be learned
from the collection.