Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-15

/ excellent picture of New England
village when the leaves are yellow
in the sunlight, and a hay cart,
filled to the top rail, is meandering
to its barn-to say nothing of many
others.
Certain things about this exhi-
bition are encouraging in the eX-
IRENE. First, perhaps. the independ-
ence of the painters and the diver
sity of styles; second, the small evil
dence of imitation of those who
have attained eminence; and, third
the complete absence of the forced
socially conscious element which
has only aroused indignation and
induced depression. Of all the eX-
hibitions that the writer has seen
for many years, this, more than any
other, seems to express what prop
erly may be called true American
ism, the spirit, the outlook and the
wisdom of the people of our own
! land-Without intent, self conscious
ness or striving What could be bet
! ter?
DIaN w IItC SOULFUL
/ The black and white section of this
| same exhibition is scarcely less in
/ teresting than that devoted solely
to water colors-but it is different,
very different. Instead of one me-
dunn being used, there are several
in fact. at least 9 or TO- And the
marvel is that all seem to be ham
| dla6 u-itl, aytro ordinary, cor,,rotopro
1t should be recalled in this connec-
ton that this is not an invited ex-
hibition but is open to all, subject
to selection by jury; therefore, with
but few exceptions, the prints shown
are not the work of those who have
attained pre-eminence-but hand
full of the many who, in recent years,
have turned to the graphic arts for
expression. To an extent this prog
ress may be attributed to increased
interest created by the various pro-
fessional organizations throughout
the country, but in all probability
more still it is the result of activi-
ties initiated by the various regional
w. P. A. centers. This is not to say
that the artists represented have
worked or are working under these
auspices, but rather that increased
activity. so engendered, has served
to quicken widespread interest and
induce experimentation. When one
considers the extraordinary tech
nical difficulties which those who
make etchings, aquatints and litho-
graphs must encounter and over
come, it is indeed astounding that
so many are achieving success.
Also let 1t be noted that the prints
in this exhibition are within the
reach of the modest income and
slender purse, ranging from as low
as SO to not more than, say, $50 or
$40. Many of those in the lower
price brackets are very worthy of
purchase and of kind to be treas
ured.
Space forbids detailed description
or evaluation of these II exhibits,
but few in the several media may
be singled out as exemplary. For
instance, among the aquatints. three
, by J. Jay McVicker, Solitude" ok
: lahoma Twilight" and Abandoned.
No one of these is subjectively pic
turesque but, through lighting eff
fects and comprehension on the
part of the artist of the significance
of the drama of nature in relation
to man they have been made pro-
foundry significant, even beautiful.
There could scarcely be greater
divergence in manner or style be-
tween the works of two artists than
one finds between the Autographs
of Alan Crane and Malcolm CAM
eron, the former so starkly realistic
and rendered with so firm touch
~, for example, Prom . BROOKLYN