Evening star., 1940-03-31
Craft Center
Now Firmly
Established
Opened in October
In Historic Place
Near Wharves
By Florence s. Beryvrnan.

Center. opened In Washington last
October without fanfare, has been
quietly but firmly establishing itself
in an historic location near the
wharves. Visited during the past
week when students were absent on
Easter vacation, the center was
found nevertheless to be a focus Of
industry.
1t occupies one Of the four houses
in the old Wheat Row." in the
1900 block of Fourth street S.W.,
built In 1893 by Greenleaf and Law
for John Wheat, and actually the first
row OF houses constructed in WASH
ington. This row was well built with
thick walls, large airy rooms and
interesting details such as mantels,
decorated with quaint classic fig
ures, cupids blowing on trumpets
and garlands Of flowers. One can
well believe, however, that the Job
OF moving in was considerable, en-
failing much cleaning, installation
OF modern plumbing and lighting
and adaptation of domestic interiors
into workshops. The walls have
been cleared of paper and painted
q soft gray.
The first floor contains the direc.
tors offices and ceramic classrooms.
In the rear garden is a kiln. Many
shelves filled with attractive pieces
OF pottery, ready for glazing and
firing, bore witness not only to the
students industry, but also to the
efficient instruction offered. There
were pieces made by several meth
ods. from simple coil work to SYM
metrical products of the kickwheel.
Three Workshops.
On the second floor are classrooms
for metalwork and weaving. To
date, effort has been concentrated
on the development of three work.
shops, for clay, wood and metal,
and no weaving has been done
except small strips. although there
are two large looms. Twelve small
looms, now being constructed by
members of the center's faculty
from designs by the director, Fred
erick John Wallace, will be ready
tomorrow for the students return.
Yet to be completed are classrooms
on the top floor. for silk screen,
block printing and batik. and pho
Biography, which may seem at first
thought to be strange inclusion for
a handicraft center. But Mr.. Wal
lace explains that it is to be used
as source of designs to be applied
to materials.
Original design is the foundation
for all the work at the National
Craft Training Center. The pupils
are not given models made by the
instructors, nor permitted to merely
copy examples of handicrafts they
may admire. They must create their
own shapes and decorations for
their respective materials.
Native Of Ireland.
Graft work." said Mr.. Wallace, els
simply another outlet for self-ex-
preston. In the fine arts, the artist
is allowed full freedom Of thought
and application to be himself. We
are trying to have people use the
handicraft materials in the same
way. The applied arts bring the
element Of function into the design,
and our job is to instruct people in
the fundamentals of good design,
good as to function and beauty"
Mr.. Wallace Is a native of Bel
fast. Ireland, and came to this coun-
try as boy Of 9. He is a graduate
OF the Rhode Island School OF De-
sign and was also an instructor
there for three years in woodwork
ing and furniture design. Follow
ing study in England with A.
Romney Greene of Christchurch,
Hants, Mr.. Wallace operated his
own shop. designing and construct
ing furniture on commission. He Is
also skilled in metal work, primarily
in pewter. He is experienced, too, in
designing for the theater, stage sets,
masks and costumes. Despite his
youth, he has gone into many ma
terial fields. He originally studied
painting, as one may see by q num-
Der of his water colors now on
the walls of the craft center. He
abandoned painting for wood cary
ing.
This proved to be the first step
into other crafts which since have
engaged his interest. He has de-
signed most Of the equipment, work
benches and tables now in use at
the center and has executed many
Of them.
Although established primarily to
train leaders and teachers in the
crafts and to promote high stand
ards of quality in production, the
center has many students taking up
some craft as personal hobby.
Government workers and others en-
ployed by day can attend evening
courses three times a week. The
National Craft Training Center
lives up to its name and purpose by
having on its faculty and in its
student body persons from other
States besides Maryland. Virginia
and the District. California and,
Texas are among the more distant
regions represented.
Public Lecture ut
Chalet Nonpareil.
"Old German Masters in Euro
pean Galleries" is the subject u 4
lecture to be given by Erwin y.
Christensen at 8 pm. today at the
Chalet Nonpareil Art Gallery, Be-
thesda. The public Is invited without
charge. The lecture Is given in
connection with the exhibition Of
wood carvings and ceramics from
Oberammergau and color reproduce
tions Of masterpieces Of painting
now at the gallery. The exhibition
has been extended to Thursday.
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