Evening star., 1946-02-10
I he Art World
Washington Water Color Club Opens Golden
Anniversary Exhibition at Corcoran
By Florence s. Berrpman

The golden anniversary exhibition
OF the Washington Water Color Club
which opens this afternoon at the
Corcoran Gallery of Art, is sound
traditional show. If all Of the clubs
first officers and exhibitors in the
initial exhibition could visit this 50th
offering, they would probably feel
at home. However, exhibits in the
contemporary idiom are present in
suficient numbers to give evidence
that the club Is hospitable to new
trends.
Charter Members
To learn that two of the charter
members and exhibitors in the first
show have works in the present one
is pleasant indeed. They are Mrs.
Mathilde M. Leisenring, with an ad-
mirable portrait drawing of Mrs.
Charles Bittinger of this city, and
Miss Lesley Jackson, who Is showing
a water color, washington Market,
bright with flower and fruit stands.
AS a matter of fact. several other
charter members and earlier exhib-
itors are still actively painting and
well known in Washington: Everett
Warner, who has only recently re-
turned to Pittsburgh after several
years here working In Navy camou-
fiage with 1t. Comdr. Charles Bit
finger; Wells M. Sawyer, who comes
to Washington nearly every year;
Hobart Nichols, now president of the
National Academy, New York, and
Catharine Critcher, whose career has
been identified with Washington and
Taos, N. Mex.
Leila Mechlin, in her introduction
to the golden anniversary catalogue
has recounted a little of the clubs
history and has paid tribute to its
contribution to the city's art devel-
opment. No one is better acquainted
with the club, for she has seen every
annual and has reviewed rs for The
Evening and Sunday Star. These
exhibitions, she says, constitute
happy memories. The artists, sin
cere and ambitious, the work shown
for the most part, colorful and
charming" She lauds Washington
water colorists. 'They are discov-
erers and interpreters" she says
land, as such, they lift life today to
a higher plane"
Eighfy.seven Artists
These comments apply to the pres
ent exhibition. 1t has much OF
beauty, well expressed, and wide
variety of subjects, nearly all OF
them representing cheerful aspects
of the contemporary scene and It's
inhabitants. In fact, the only de-
pressing thing about this review Is
the impossibility of calling attention
by name to all who deserve it
Eighty-seven artists are represented
with u paintings in the special ex-
hibition gallery (water colors and q
few pastels) and about 40 works In
various graphic media, in the atriun
cases. The exhibition should prove
popular. Even the most advanced
works have not progressed beyond
the boundaries of inteligibility te
the layman.
Prize WinnerS
Four of the six awards went te
artists outside the Washington area
which includes nearby Virginia anc
Maryland. Henry Gasser Of New.
ark, N. j., recently out of the Army
received first prize in water color fol
his "Winter Enclosure" strong
somber transcription of a group o1
houses in a rolling landscape under
snow, painted in dark blue, brown
and gray. Second prize was be-
slowed upon the toneful Morning
Freight" by George Schwacha o1
Irvington, N. j. Both paintings
convey q sense of reality.
Edna M. Ways painting, "Cov-
cred Bridge" which won first hon
orable mention, is higher in key and
has a more obvious composition,
made up Of angles The artist lives
In Athens, Ohio. The work which
won second honorable mention
'TaxaSo," by Paul Arlt of Airing
ton, Va, is the most modern of the
prize winners, in fluid, simplified
handling.
Reynold H. Weidenaar of Grand
Rapids, Mich, won first prize in
prints for his dark, velvety mezzo-
tint, Eel Monstro de Paracuti" "a
volcano In Mexico), which was hon.
ored with the Mrs. Henry f. Noyes
Memorial Prize for the best print ir
the Society of American Etchers
30th annual last autumn in New
York City. This young printmakei
has the largest representation In
the current Water Color Club show
Six prints, in etching, drypoint
aquatint and mezzotint, all of which
were done during and after his
visit in Mexico on the Guggenhein
fellowship awarded to him in 1914
His shrewd seizure of type
''Dozing Tippler," and his romantic
street of the Goats" seem to thi.
writer quite as worthy of the priz.
as the "Monstro."
Inez Demonet of Washington wor
honorable mention in prints fol
"Chin Nun Gate" Peking, colo
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