Evening star., 1937-05-01

over slumbering landscape; and
there is an extremely handsome Ari-
IONA picture entitled Strange Coun-
try" which epitomizes the strangeness
and magniflcence of this creation Of
Nature beyond mans widest dream
and brings to the beholder in one
breath fact and fantasy
OF Howard Giles it Is said that few
have shown greater ability to discrim-
mate between essentials and non-es-
sentials in creating work of art, and
that in capturing Natures varying
moods In the spirit OF design, he has
lifted them into realm Of artistic
significance rarely achieved Some
persons, in spite Of this, may find his
work a bit monotonous and spiritless,
which may come from too close fol-
lowing Of law, even that which is uni
versal: but monotony is not an alto
gether bad quality, and If one will
take time to gain acquaintance these
paintings will be found not without |
spirit, but to possess reticent charm.
One does not weary Of them. The
way in which they are painted Is Mr..
Giles way. and Is both competent
and, to the majority, appealing.
Out-ot-Tovn Artists Exhibit
Paintings and WoodcutS
At the Arts Club.
TWO exhibitions opened at the Arts
Club on April 25 to continue to
Nov "a hotb of uorkc L,u o,,t.of -toup
artists, Mildred B. Miller of Burlington,
N. j., and Dorothy McEntee of New
York City, Miss Miller shows oil paint
ings and water colors; Miss McEntee
woodcuts in black and white. The for
mer occupy the gallery, whereas the
latter may be seen on the walls of the
reception room.
Miss Miller was at one time an in
structor in the Chester Springs Sum-
mer School of the Pennsylvania Acad-
emy of the Fine Arts, and of late has
conducted Summer painting classes at
Cape May, on the New Jersey coast
It was there that the majority Of the
paintings now on exhibition were
painted. In 1914 and 1915 she had
1920 and 1881 she won the Mary Smith
prize in the Pennsylvania Academy's
annual exhibition. This year she was
the recipient of silver medal from
the Plastic Club Of Philadelphia. With
such excellent Endorsement, an ex-
planation for the disappointing show
ing that she makes here at this time
{e fo~ 70
simple and broadly handled, but with
out spirit or force; unfinished works
without the spontaneity Of quick
sketches. The canvas which Of all
those exhibited comes nearest to
achievement is that Of larkspur seen
(growing) in the immediate foreground
against a landscape setting. In this
the treatment is original and the effect
fresh and impressive, but even in this
instance there is a feeling that the
theme has been unduly enlarged.
Prints By Dorothy McEntee
Make Excellent Shouting.
MISS McENTEE is teacher in the
New York City High School Of
Vocational Training in the Arts, a
graduate of Pratt Institute, Brooklyn,
and former pupil of Miss Miller's at
the Chester Spring School. She shows
herself to be an adept IN her chosen
medium-the woodcut-in which she
essays elaborate compositions with ap-
parent ease and very evident success.
The woodcut is the direct descendent
OF one Of the Oldest of the graphic arts,
and through modern adaptation, has
| OF late come into exceptional favor.
The line is in relief rather than sunken
or intaglio as in etching or line en-
| craving on metal. The block used is
OF such wood as pear, apple, holly,
beach or sycamore, cut with the grain
and planed smooth. The drawing is
made on the block and the cutting is
done with knife or carver-the part
which is not to print being cut away
and that which is to take the ink left
standing. In what is known as white
line" work the artist thinks" in terms
OF such, cut with a graver, on q block
OF hard wood, across the grain. Artists
differ in distinction between woodcuts
and wood engravings, some claiming
that the blackline cut is a woodcut
and the white-line an engraving;
others make distinction according to
the tool used-works cut with a knife
being "cuts" and those with a graver
"engravings," but the actual shade of
difference is at times very slight. Also
at times linoleum and other substances
are used as a base instead of wood.
After all, however, 1t is with result
chiefly that We concern ourselves. And
Miss McEntee's results are excellent
For those who wish to go more fully
into process two books are recommend
ed, Wood Engraving and Wood Cuts"
by Claire Leighton, and "A Woodcut
Manual" by J. j. Lankes, both of
which authors are accomplished crafts
men in this medium.
Woodcuts have come into special
favor because they so well accord with
the printed page and also on account
of their pronounced brevity Of express
sion-they tell their story with force
and at single blow, for which reason,
as rule, the simpler they are the
better. But it Is remarkable how we'll
Miss McEntee has employed this far
from plant medium to set forth elab-
crate compositions without confusion
or loss of effect. "MacGregor's Gar
den' is an excellent instance, but
there are numerous others wherein
figures, buildings and landscape fea-
lures are combined effectively. One
of Miss McEntee's woodcuts was Sc
lected by Miss Leighton as ap illus
tration for her book on this subject.
The Corcordn School Will
Exhibit Works by Children
OF Kentucky Mountains.
A GROUP Of drawings in charcoal
and colored chalks made by high
school pupils In Breath1tt County, KY,