Evening star., 1937-05-10
TENDERS of the Buffalo Moth Family Their Sprng Publicity
Desire Will
Not Make
An Artist
Danger Lies in Aiding
Child to Mistake
Wish for Reality.
BY ANGELO PATRI.


WHAT are you going to be when
you get out in the world Jes-
sica?"
I'm going to be an artist. I love
to draw"
That's fine. I'd like seeing some
Of your work"
20, haven't done much Just a
few drawings In school. But I like
1t lot and after I'm graduated I'm
going to study art. I want to paint
pictures. adore color"
The worst Of it is that Jessicas
parents not overly rich, will let her
60 to art school If she wants to, and
she probably will There she will
very likely discover that she draws
feebly, that she has no eye for mass
and color and no feeling for beauty
that is art. She is in love with art,
but art does not know her and the
two Xill never meet. Another failure
will be added to the hosts that haunt
the art schools, the museums and the
Offices OF commercial art works.
Young people are sensitive to beauty,
90 the arts appeal to them. They are
romantic, and In their stage of growth
all artists are set in haze of ro-
nance. It Is idle to point out to them
that hunger and misery and mental
agony are not romantic in any sense
Of tho word; that poverty and sudden
success are not the essential quail
tiles Of fine artist. Nor does 1t
hA1rH ~ %ol rNuyorfIll
creative force within the mind and
body Of the artist Is what makes him
the artist. They mistake the yearning
for beauty and distinction and ro-
nance for the creative drive Of the
artist. They have a wish and they
transform 1t into talent, In imagina-
ton, and thereby suffer pain and fall
ure and humiliation.
Artists do not need much telling to
bring out their gifts. The gift takes
possession OF the artist and drives him
to his goal. The creation comes by
way OF severe trial and painful effort.
never met an artist who took his
work gaily. He usually groaned about
1t, cursed the day 1t took hold on him,
did everything possible to put off the
hour Of beginning a bit of work. Once
well started all else went over the side.
1t was dangerous to go near him, to
interrupt him was to court murder.
The creative impulse, busy in its work,
Is nothing to play with. An artist Is
ono bedevlled. Best leave him to his
demon for the time OF his possession
It IS right to teach young people all
they can learn about art. They need
the touch Of creative beauty in all
they do. They will have finer ap-
probation Of life because they have
studied art and have tried their hands
at 1t. Some Of them will be good
craftsmen. An odd few, mighty few in
tho odds, will develop first-class power
during lifetime. All OF them will be
the better for having known an hour
In association with great beauty.
The danger lies in aiding children
70 mistake wish for reality. WISH
ing does not make an artist. For that
ono needs creative power. Any one
who has that power does not have to
be told about 1t or coaxed to express
1t. Creative power drives, drives its
possessors into realizing its power.
Those who do not have it should not
be led into making serious mistake
about their life work.
Mr.. Patri has prepared leaflet en-
titled Baby Carriages in which he
tells parents how to make the carriage
ride = happy, profitable experience.
Send for it, addressing your request to
Mr.. Angelo Patri, child psychology de-
partment OF this paper Inclose
self addressed, stamped (3-cent) en-
velope.
(Copyright, 1879