Evening star., 1938-11-27
Miss Ryerson Has
Exhibition at
Arts Club
By Leila Mechlin.

By Leila Mechlin.
There is something very refresh
ing about the exhibition Of paint
ings in oil by Margery RyerSon OF
New York, which at the present time
comfortably fills the gallery of the
Arts Club. To the average layman
these canvases may seem to be
slightly painted, and it is true that
they are more studies than finished
works, but they are enormously
clever with a cleverness which
amounts to genius and defies imi-
tation. In spirit they are vigorous
and In manner Of rendering forth
right and direct. Furthermore, they
are charming in color, clean, pure
and fresh. The observer feels that
they were done with zest and pleas
urA spontaneously and for the sheer
love of the doing. To accomplish
this end was for many years the
ambition Of all good painters, some
achieving it with ease, as appar-
emily does Miss Ryerson, others
through laborious effect skilfully
concealed. 1t is, of course, a ques-
ton of power to transfer to canvas
a visual emotion created by form
or color note before it fades and
is lost AS Albert Sterner once said,
zone sweep OF passionate brush
can tell the story-the next moment
Of hesitation can destroy it,"
Evidently Miss Ryerson does not
hesitate, and so far as she goes it
is we'll. Sargent achieved these
same effects, likewise, by first in
tent, but he did not stop there;
despite the cunning of his brush he
strove toward technical perfection.
Cecilia Beaux in almost all her can
vases gives the impression of mag
nificent spontaneity in brush work,
but 1t is an effect profoundly studied
and gradually attained. Miss Ryer-
son, in her paintings now on view,
gives the impression of no less abil-
ity in clearing the first big hurdle,
but an inconsequential regard for
the long race-the story is told and
well told-that is enough. And so
delightful is the telling that the ma
jority will be agreed and content.
OF the 16 canvaseS constituting
this exhibition three are land or
water scapes, one still life, the
rest all figures, with the exception
Of single city picture.
OF the figures, those of children
are most alluring and memorable.
For the Interpretation of child ma
ture and expression Miss RyerSon
seems to have especial gift. Even
in the two nudes, hung on the west
wall of the gallery, both very simple
and direct studies, there is marked
individuality, although it is the lit
tie backs rather than the faces that
are toward the observers. Rarely
does one see skin and flesh painted
with greater clarity of color and
feeling for form and texture than
here. Nor should the fact be over
looked that in each instance pre-
cisely the right emphasis has been
given by a splash of color keyed
to pitch and incidentally placed.
AS a center on this wall hangs a
full-length painting of little girl
with intensely blue eyes-Ann-
and at her feet her little black
Scottie, Jonathan.
On the opposite wall there is a
series of five child portraits which
vie with one another in charm and
sparkle. Among these, most fin
ished, is a small canvas setting forth
a little Chinese child in native dress,
black hair, black, beadlike eyes, very
as a graphic artist, one wonders how
little Americans of tender years,
half serious, half roguish, are pre-
sented in colorful sweaters, one yel-
low, the other peach color. both
chosen to match hair or skin or
otherwise complete color scheme
essentially harmonious. These can
vases mark perhaps the highest
spot in the exhibition, the charac-
terization being so extraordinarily
poignant and attained so simply.
Remembering Miss Ryerson's skill
as praphic artist one wonders how
much of the etcher is mingled with
the painter in these enchanting
works.
The adult portraits, three in
number, are soberer renditions, and
characterful, but suffer somewhat
In comparison, the lighter touch
being less suitable and therefore
wisely withheld, but the graver and
more appropriate one fumbling a
little.
The greatest difficulty which con-
fronts, it would seem, the painters
Of today is to carry a work to COM
pletion as did the masters of old,
without loss of spirit. In this re-
spect change came over portrait
painting in the latter part of the
18th century and has been going on
ever since, attaining in the present
day to exaggerated Importance.
If one may hazard a guess with
out aid of title, one would sly that
both of the landscape studies which
Miss Ryerson shows in this exhibi-
ton were painted on the coast of
Maine-so typical are they of this
scenery. One is of blue, the other
. gray day and have as elements in
their composition rocks, sea, noun
tains lowered by distance and punc-
tuated by nearby evergreen trees.
Again the rendering is bold and
free, the effect atmospheric and
unified. More studied and care
fully rendered is her view of New
York Harbor" enlivened by passing
boats going about their business,
while verging on the dramatic is her
picture of New York street in
snowstorm with traffic Trouble
Ahead" This last is a very COM
pncated composition and admirably
handled, which brings us back to
full comprehension of the fact that
Miss Ryerson is first and last a most
accomplished craftsman. Her etched
line is peculiarly sensitive and sig
niflcant-therefore, whatever in her
painting Is left unsaid is omitted by
intent, not through fear of weakness.
- l. l. 49,