Evening star., 1940-01-07
Mrs. Spence
Uses Tropic
Her Exhibit Offers
Also Local Works.:
Danish Child Art
By Florence S. Bergman.

Myrta Williams Spence, member
OF the faculty of George Washing
ton University's division of fine arts
since 1896. is having her first public
sole exhibition at the Studio Gallery
Of the university. Opening to the
public tomorrow, the show will re-
main until January u.
A group of water colors, pastels
and pen. ink and wash drawings in
cludes sketches done in Puerto Rico
during three months the artist spent
there, as we'll as local and few out
of-town subjects. The tropical paint
ings are the most colorful, as one
would expect. The deep blue sky Of
the tropics, the vivid greens and
brilliant reds and yellows are con-
vincingly captured in aquarelle.
Some of the smallest paintings are
the most effective: PLAZA de Colon"
In Manati" and "On Board (the
deck of freighter in San Juan har-
bor).
Two pages of sketches in pen and
ink and wash depict the push-cart
vendors and similar figures in the
continuously passing show on Puerto
Rican roads. Slightly caricatured,
these figures are lively transcriptions
Of the island Negroes. vital whether
they are moving with their loose
jointed grace, or leaning motionless
against their carts, indulging in a
nap. Regarding the exhibition ono
suspects that Mrs. Spence is more
interested in people than in scenes.
for her figure paintings have vervs
which some of the Landscapes lack.
However, one of the most engaging
works shown is pastel entitled
Morning Sunlight" view of
Brooklyn houses around court,
seen from the 22d floor of a hotel.
The sun is just illuminating the top
stories OF some of the houses, which
appear to be commonplace brick
tenements in type, but CHEEKY and
homelike; very pleasant scene.
OF local subjects. Mrs. Spence
shows Bridges" in Rock Greek
Park, winter aspect of the spans
seen beyond leafless trees: an au-
tumn view of farm on the East
West highway and factories on K
street (Georgetown) in July sun
The artist is a native of Melrose,
Pa. She studied at George Wash
ington University, graduating with
degrees of B. A. and B. F. A. 1885,.
She also studied at the Corcoran
School of Art for the next two years,
where she was one of the student
instructors in sculpture. Her work
has been shown in Corcoran Alumni
exhibitions. She is a member of
the Washington Arts Club.
Danish ChiIdren's Work
Exhibition at w. P. A. Gallery
to Visit Other Art Centers.
Through courtesy Of the Royal
Danish Legation, an exhibition was
assembled from the art classes in
the schools of Denmark to be ex-
hibited in w. P. A. galleries of the
United States. This exhibition is
having its initial showing here in
Washington at the Children's CAL
lery, BIG Independence avenue S.W.
On view since the middle of De-
cember, it will remain until January
13: thereafter, for six months or
more, it will travel to other Federal
Art Centers.
Paintings, drawings and linoleum
block prints by children from to Is
years, compose the exhibition of
about so works. 1t will be recalled
that childrens art from many for
eign countries, in Latin America as
well as Europe. has been shown at
the Children's Gallery here, afford
ing Washingtonians interested in
art education for children, an op-
portunity to study various methods
in use. Perhaps the most engaging
display from the average adult
standpoint, was that of work by
Belgian school children, shown last
spring. 1t was predominantly con-
servative in character, and demon
strated the childrens efforts to draw
and paint as nearly like mature
artists as possible. This is, of course,
not in line with some modern edu-
Gators theories. They believe that
the children should give untram-
meled expression to their own ideas,
with minimum of aid from the
teacher. Such appears to be the
method used in Danish schools. It
is interesting to note that the Dam
ish, who are racially very conserva-
tive, apparently believe in progress
sive" art education for children. On
the other hand, perhaps the char
acter of the show is due entirely to
the tastes of the committee of selec-
| tion.