Evening star., 1940-04-14
Variety Of Viewpoints and Methods Are
Represented in Water Color Show
Washington Clubs Nth Annual Display at
Corcoran Includes 173 Paintings and
Prints; Museum Features Etchin9s

The Washington Water Color Club
Is holding its 44th annual exhibition
Opening In the Corcoran Gallery Of
Art yesterday, 1t will continue
through May S. In these years
many changes have taken place In
the field Of art, as well as in the
world at large, but for the most
part these changes have been super
fetal rather than fundamental
New schools Of painting and OF
thought have arisen and exerted a
strong influence, but, radical as
some of these have been and are
the main current Is fundamentally
unaltered. flowing from the high
source of pure inspiration to the
great depths Of achievement, with
calm assurance. despite the cross
currents Of contrary convictions
which now and then rufle its sur
face. Not only does the artist see
differently in every new era, but he
paints differently; yet. even. 50, the
desire for expression comes alike
from emotional appeal and the ir-
resistible impulse to pass 1t on to
others. Without this there would
be no art or artists even Of the
most commonplace order.
The artists represented in the
Water Color Clubs exhibition are
by no means commonplace, but they
differ widely in the viewpoint and
also In their mode of expression.
Some, for example, are apparently
concerned chiefly with the more
dreary aspects of Life, those which
reflect deterioration and ugliflcation
of, and by, man; while others, find-
ing beauty in simple sights and
scenes, evidently take pleasure in
making it manifest. Obviously there
is much confusion in the world of
art today, but so long as artists
such as these keep an anchor out
to windward all will eventually be
well.
This exhibition Is not limited to
the work Of local water colorists;
the fact is, the representation this
year is exceptionally wide The first
prize went to a New York artist,
Julius Delbos, member of both the
American Water Color Society and
the New York Water Color Club.
This was for 'The White House." q
painting, odd in shape and not arch
ltecturally beautiful, but so charm
ingly rendered that none could fail
to find delight in it as work Of
Sr e1a@,,IA r,n
second prize was won by still-life
study, vase of mixed flowers,
painted rather impressionistically
and somewhat formlessly, in deco
rative fashion, by Blanche Baxter;
It does, however, make a pleasing
spot Of color on the wall. Honor
able mention went to Constance
Cochrane of Philadelphia for coast
scene, 'Norton's Ledge" very broad
1y and handsomely set forth in the
manner Of the new school, which
has put water colors on a parity
with oil paintings. Miss Cochrane
also shows "Monhegan Wharf" an
excellent painting which is quite
elaborate and rendered with strength
and exceptional unity.
Catharine Morris Wright, also Of
Philadelphia, is well represented by
. painting entitled High Tide" !"
which shows the surf breaking over
low. horizontal lodges of rock, in
rather leisurely fashion; whereas
in a painting, Pinnacle Rock" by
Ruth Osgood of this city, the sea is
pictured leaping through a narrow
rock gateway and dashing high in
air In seeming effort to reach the
barriers summit. Admirably do
both Of these artists give indication
of the form and force Of the incom-
Ing sea.
Excellent Seascapes.
There are other seascapes In this
exhibition which are excellent, such
rs stormy Day." by Brenton H.
Dickson. Sd; Oyster Boats, Solo,
mons Island, Maryland" by Benson
B. Moore; Nantucket Moors," with
the sea beyond, by Vernon r.
Duckett; "Sand and Sea-" by Mar
garet L. Comegys, and Northern
Dawn" by Richard Beaman, the
last dramatic picture Of the
fortresslike rock at Gaspe. purple
against a luminous sky which her
aids new day. Outstanding also Is
Benson Moores contribution, .
charming composition, rendered
delicately but with much skill and
freedom.
The president Of the club. Seward
Hume Rathbun. architect and
teacher as well as painter. Is repre-
sented by two water colors, each
quite out Of the ordinary. These
are an elaborate still-Nfe study Of
souvenirs from China, "Pekineese"
and Afternoon" q scene In the
woods with q party of swimmers
standing on the bank Of a stream.
The objects in the former undoubt-
edly engaged the artists interest
through their inherent indiyidual-
-iSm: the people In the latter are Ia
erAle with their natural surrounds
tnss and part thereof. Both lend
interest and distinction to the exhi-
: bttion.
TWO interesting interiors are con.
tributed by Mrs. p. o. Conn and
Ruth Perkins Stafford, respectively