The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-04-29

Somewhere in the South Pacific
-Delayed)-"In the never ending
conflict between Man and Nature
lies one Of the greatest opportuni-
ties for artists seeking to depict
warfare in the Pacific. Our men,
fighting mostly in small groups,
battle not only the japanese, but
the jungle. The enemy withdrawS,
but the jungle-unyielding, impene-
trable-remains."
SO speaks Marine Captain George
NJ. Harding, well-known figure in
the art world, who Is now a Ma
rine Corps combat artist. He Is well
acquainted with the problems facing
the artist in the Jungle, for he has
visited virtually every combat area
in the South Pacific worked under
conditions that would make all but
the most determined put away their
brushes.
Captain Harding, who held that
rank with the Army Engineers in
World War I, lives at 1891 Mont
gomery Avenue, Wyn1ewood, Pa,
where his wife, Mrs. Anita N.
Harding, and their daughter, Anita,
also live. A son, George M. Harding
Jr., is Navy ensign, on duty
aboard light-cruiser.
Murals by the Marine artist
adorned the walls of the Federal
Building at the New York Worlds
Fair. Other Of his better known
murals are in the Post Office ADJ
1ninistration building In Washing
ton, the Customs House in Phila-
delphia, and the Municipal Court
house in the same city.
"Warefare out here" says Cap
lain Harding, involves mainly
small bodies Of men. There are large
actions, Of course, but they are
carried out almost invariably by
troops working in very small units.
You just can't fight in the jungle
with mass formation.
1.-THE conflict of these handfuls
Of men with the lurking dangers
Of the jungle. There is the great
field for artists in the Pacific. If
I can convey some of that feeling
of our Marines battling the dark
mysteries, the hidden threats mad
the sense Of gloomy foreboding
that pervades everything Of the
Jungle, then I will feel that I have
contributed something to the art Of
this war"
The Marine officer Is one Of the
few Pacific artists who do their
work right at the scene. Not con-
tent with making only sketches in
the forward area, he completes his
entire work there. Occasionally,
however, he goes back to his "stu-
dio" to incorporate two or three
paintings into one subject. His
studio" incidentally, is usually
either foxhole or tent.
most Of the time" he says wryly,
my tent has running water-from
the Skies"
The heat and humidity make 1t
impossible to work in oils, SO Cap
tain Harding must preforce work in
watercolors or black and white. He
has evolved watercolor mixture
that dries extremely quickly, but
even so 1t Is sometimes impossible
to get painting to dry for days.
On completing watercolor, Cap
tain Harding slips it under a piece
of drawing paper that servise as a
blotter. Next a piece of rubberized
cloth is placed around it, and final
ly it Is covered with heavy canvass.
When rain comes, as 1t often
does, Captain Harding usually tries
to continue work by spreading his
poncho across tree branches and
standing beneath it. If the rain is
too heavy for that. he puts his
drawing board against his body, un-
der the poncho, and works without
looking at his board. Corrections
are made after occasional peeks
beneath the poncho.
mot only is the weather impoS-
sible for oils, but that medium in
wolves carrying too much gear" he
says. ~ carry only enough water
color materials to fit into a combat
pack. Hence the size of most Of my