Evening star., 1944-10-22
BY Florence s. Berryman

opened It's season auSpiciOuSly with
a beautiful exhibition of work by
members of the American Water
Color Society. This rotary group
will remain through next Saturday.
The show is bright and cheerful
and seems somehow essentially
American in its forthrightness. The
majority of the As artists repre-
sented with one work each are well
known, with seasoned talents One
has come to expect sound and tech
nically adroit painting from them
and one usually gets it. AS matter
of fact, membership in the Ameri-
can Water Color Society practically
guarantees competent performance
The society was organized nearly
80 years ago to promote water color
painting through exhibitions and
prizes, and membership is by nomi-
nation OF the society's Board of Con-
troll and is based on the excellence
of exhibited work.
Painting of outstanding originality
is as rare here, of course, as in any
otAiSi llFhi5 ouI lllC sltOW
has beauty and gayety and sparkle
and fine craftsmanship predomi-
mates. Furthermore, about two
thirds of the paintings record pleas
ing or picturesque aspects of the
American scene and all of the ex-
hibits and home size and modestly
priced. A large number of them
deserve to be placed on private walls
for family enjoyment.
Among the particularly engaging
landscapes and coast scenes on
view the writer noted Herbert
Gute's Long Shadows" (repro-
duced on this page, the quiet,
autumnal Fox Hunter" by Roy
Mason; Edwin Oman's Hungry
Hill" Incoming Tide" a marine
by Harry De Maine; Loran Wilford's
glimpse of Florida, Along the
Bayou; Theodore Kautsky's strong
"Rockport Harbor," Rocky Shore
Quebec" by Ogden Pleissner, who
has conveyed the crispness of the
atmosphere with astringent blues
Robert Coen's persuasive transition
of a very ugly place in Water
Street" Herbert Scheffels January
9Th" with its marked contrasts,
Wharf, Cape Porpoise," by A. Las
sell Ripley; lush river scenes by the
Martinos "On the Della
ware" and Giovanni's "Schuylkill," "
and pen and wash by Mahonri
Young of the Hudson from across
the marshland.
Local Artist Represented
Eliot OHara has a much simpli-
fed Autumn Symphony" done in
the seasons tawny and purplish-
blue hues. When studied at close
range 1t appears almost abstract,
painted in rectangular brush
strokes; seen at distance it has
an excellent effect, from clear colors
laid on cleanly. 1t Is the best of
the shows water colors in a con-
temporary idiom. To mention but
two others, Roy Browns Among
the Hills" for instance, is marred
by its heavy, unconvincing sky, and
Charles Aiken's Pixies Peak at
Nightfall" impressed the writer as
incompletely realized.
Outstanding among the figure
subjects are typical group in the
open air by John Costigan and H. L..
Hildebrandt's The Makeup" "a
clown at his dressing table,
Humorous character contrast be-
tween two priests is drawn by Harri-
son Cady in Winter Morning.
Quebec" Saul Raskin's admirable
Gloucester" depicting men building
boats, might be classed as an indus
trial theme. Clifford Beal's colorful
Equestrian Act" overlaps the ami
NAL subject category. Eugene Hig-
gins is reresented by "Fishermans
Family typical of his figure groups
in form but lacking his usual doleful
atmosphere; these people are sur
rounded by clear daylight and ap-
pear happier than do most of this
artists underprivileged characters.
"Bombe," black kitten, portrayed
by Mahrea Lehman, and Felicie
Howell Mixter's little painting of
elephants, THE Circus Arrives" are
the only strictly animal subjects.
Flowers also are seen in but two
water colors, Lilies and Roses"
with a dainty 10Th century appear
ance, by Margaret Adams, and
Antimo Beneduces "Camellias in a
Glass Vase" which look too solid.
Nearly all these paintings are
done in transparent wash, which is
in the tradition of Homer and
Sargent. They are vigorous, robust
and objective and altogether we'll
worth seeing.
This American water color rotary
will be replaced next Sunday by
paintings by official combat artists
of the Navy.
~ II ~ II