Evening star., 1939-12-03
Floral Types
Give Merit in
Studio Work
Mrs. Fowler Puts
Distinction in
Pastel Exhibit
BY Florence s. bergman.

One has heard of artists who. after
painting a few blossoms acquired
from the neighborhood florist, be-
come 50 interested in flowers that
they move to the country and start
a garden. Now at the Chalet Nom
pareil Gallery, in Bethesda. Nd.
there is an exhibition OF pastels OF
flowers and other subjects done bv
an artist who reversed the process:
she started in a garden and moved
into a studio, so to speak. She il
l.. Helen Fowler. 'horticulturist in
charge of the famous Shaw Water
Lily Gardens in Kenilworth, recent
ly purchased by the Government.
Her father created these gardens.
and after his death, she continued
to develop them.
After being horticulturist Of the
gardens for 27 years. Mrs. Fowler
made trip to South America to
study that continents flora; while
there, she began to make pencil
sketches of various species. Re-
turning home, she made pastel
studies of flowers in a casual way.
sometimes with the utilitarian pur-
pose of demonstrating to some pros
pective purchaser of root or bulb
(scarcely an inspiring object in it.
self the kind of gorgeous blossom
it would eventually produce. 1t
happened that some people wanted
the sketches as much or more than
they wanted the flowers Finding
herself inadvertently on the brink
of being a professional" artist. she
determined to improve her work as
much as possible within the limited
time she had for it, as horticulture
continued to be her major interest.
She studied for a short while with
Edith Mccartney, one of Washing
tons outstanding pastelists.
Mrs. Fowler's dominant idea is TO
capture in more or less permanent
form. glimpses of the beauty to be
seen in the many rare flowers Of the
Shaw Gardens. Perhaps this is why
the pastels of such subjects now At
Chalet Nonpareil seem to be more
assured in handling than her por-
traits, which compose half the pres
ent exhibition. Despite the brilliant
colorS of the flowers, Mrs. FoWle; $
color schemes are subdued and har-
mOnious. She tranScribes blue lilies
in round glass bowl which echoes
the color in silvery tone: white
tulips in a green bowl against
plum background, both colors grayed.
The most striking work in the pres
ent show portrays large purplish
blue lilies in an antique flip glass
against a dark brown background.
a walnut bowl or something similar.
Mrs. Fowler is not exclusively con-
cerned with lilies. There are studies
of various other flowers, including
a particularly decorative one Of dog
wood.
Mrs. Fowler appears to have re-
garded her women subjects in the
same manner as she studied flowers.
being interested in the coloring and
variations in different species.
Among her portraits are Italian.
Scandinavian. Chinese. Mexican and
American types. They give one the
impression that the artist was more
concerned with summing up racial
characteristics than in obtaining
ILLNESSES of specific persons. An
exception to this impression Is the
portrait of Sara Usuda." Latin
American in appearance, which has
marked individuality. and also the
most effective color scheme Of the
/ group-black eyes and hair, olive
complexion. saffron background and
an earth-red sweater. Another very
good work is a portrait of Mexican
woman.
Supplementing the exhibition bv
Mrs. Fowler at Chalet Nonpareil is
a small display of Mexican glass,
with the usual engaging character
istics of that industry, which in
Mexico is a hand craft. The pieces
hence have the distinguishing mark
on the bottom where the glass is
cut off, and the slight irregudarity
OF shape. There are pitchers.
tumblers, bottles and bowls in bright
blue, amber, grayish blue and smoky
topaz glass which has many tiny
bubbles throughout each piece.