Evening star., 1941-05-18
The Art WodRevws of Current Exhibitions and News of Artists
Winning Water Colors Are Featured in
Nationals First Contemporary Show
Paintings Selected
For L. S. Hospital
At Carville, La.
By Leila MechHn.

HOrary arJ 10 De SllOWu uilucl tiiC
roof of the National Gallery of Art
opened with private view on
THURSDAY afternoon. 1t consists OF
200 water colors by American artists
for the Carville Ga) Marine Hos
pital selected through national
competition held by the Section of
Fine Arts. Federal Works Agency,
Public Building Administration, and
Is set forth In a spacious and we'll
lighted gallery in the west wing OF
the great building, approached by
the Constitution avenue entrance.
The Jury which selected these
paintings was composed OF Jonn
Marin, Charles Burchfield, Buk Ul-
reich and Eliot O'Hara, in consulta-
tation with Edward Bruce, chlef OF
the Section of Fine Arts, all OF whom
are painters of wide reputation. The
selection was made from 10000 water
colors submitted by artists In all
parts of the United States for pur-
chase at the very reasonable price
of $50 each. At this price, 300 were
acouired-200 from Federal funds
set aside for the purpose, 100 from
a fund granted by the Carnegie
Corp. of New York. A third OF
the works acquired already have
been placed in the hospital at Car
vile. The 200 now on view have
been temporarily held for the cur
rent showing and for series OF
short exhibitions sponsored by art
museums in other cities. The reason
for this is primarily to advance the
interest in art of today and further
compensate the contributors for
their work.
Impressive Display.
Already the Washington public
has been made acquainted with
paintings submitted in this competi-
ton through a series of exhibitions
of examples drawn from those not
chosen by the jury, among which
was the competitive art writer's ex-
hibition held in the Section OF Fine
Arts last December. But not before
have the works accepted been shown.
All in all, they make rather I'M
pressive display, not merely numer-
ically, but because OF technical merit
and general excellence. 1t is re-
markable that, in all parts OF the
country, such a number of painters
can have attained such competence
In the use of water color as a me-
dunn. To be sure, there is certain
sameness in the general manner OF
handling, but not that sameness
which comes through any one dom
Inant influence. Rather does 1t
seem that the jury itself was COM
pletely unanimous - one-minded.
That the works were judged on the
basis of artistic and technical merit
is at the same time evident. This is,
first and last, a painters exhibition,
not an aggregation of water colors
chosen to please the inmates of
hospital-and had the inmates them
selves been consulted, this probably
would have oeen their choice.
There are in the whole exhibition
comparatively few grotesque or ugly
pictures, but also there Is a scarcity
of those which, from intrinsic
beauty, make direct appeal. The
subjects dealt with are, for the most
part, commonplace, but they have
been interpreted with frankness and
great sincerity. 1t is this which
gives them significance and worth.
Spirit of Youth.
In the matter of subject, there is
wide diversity, scenes being trans
cribed as found in all parts of the
United States, not slavishly but with
utmost realism. And what is more,
the manner of transcription is fresh |
and eager--in short, fully -imbued
with the spirit of youth. Land
scapes and coastal scenes probably |
are in largest number, but there |
also are glimpses of city and town |
life, circus crowds and performers, |
q barber shop, birds in flight, boats,
flowers, fruit and even a junk heap. |
FROM the many, it might be hard
30 choose the one most good, but
collectively interest is well sustained
and merit evenly measured.
The Deserted Park" by w. D.
6paulding of West Newton, Mass,
with its tracery of leaf1ess branches
against a gray wintry sky, is both
exceptionally well done and pleas
ing. Autumn Evening"" by STAN
ford Fenelle of Minneapolis; SANDY
Acre" by Amy Jones of Saranac
lake, N. Y; "Sunland Sunshine"
BY James Patrick of Los Angeles;
"Spring in San Francisco" by
Charles Keck of Los Angeles,
and "A Summer Afternoon" by
Paul Haas of Cleveland, are all
colorful and very well rendered,
with certainty of brush stroke
and sublety in expression. Robert
Gates of Washington is represented
at his best in a strong and colorful
painting of "St. Thomas, Virgin Is
land, Harbor," and Olin Dows, for
merly of Washington, now of
Rhinebeck, N. Y, shows two excel
lent paintings done in the South