Evening star., 1947-11-02

The Corcoran Gallery OF Art Is
opening to the public this afternoon
its second annual exhibition Of works
by artists Of Washington and vicin-
ity, which will remain through this
month. The show strikes me as bet
ter than last years. Furthermore,
1t ought to please the public. as the
majority Of the exhibits are con-
servative and intelligible.
Three noted professional artists
from out of town, William Zorach,
sculptor: Isabel Bishop and Henry
Hensche, painters, and two repre-
sentatives of the Corcoran Gallery,
Hermann w. Williams, jr., director,
and Eleanor B. Swenson, associate
curator, selected the exhibition.
More than 800 individuals, living
within q radius of 25 miles of the
gallery, submitted works from which
this jury accepted 178 by 100 artists.
CA few artists are represented by
two, and some by three, works each.)
One Of the purposes Of this exhi-
bition, as Mr.. williams says in his
foreword to the catalogue, is ito give
equal opportunity to every one,
whether student, professional or
Sunday painter" This objective
seems to have been reached. for the
names of nearly half the exhibitors
are new to me. And We who visit
every exhibition in Washington soon
become familiar with regular and
frequent exhibitors.
Eighteen awards have been made
to II artists Zone Of whom received
two). These awards do not involve
cash prizes, but are honors, some
thing like symbolic laurel wreaths.
Most Of the recipients of these men
tions are we'll known in Washington
art circles.
Although the general character OF
the show is traditional, there is a
substantial proportion Of works in
various modern idioms; and ex-
ponents of progressive tendencies
carried of majority of the awards
Winning Works
Samuel Bookatz' Girl in White u
a poetic figure painting in a high
key, received first award in paint
ing. Second award went to William
H. Calfee's Early One Morning." a
quiet scene of trees and Greek col
umns with sinister note in the
large coiled snake in the street.
Marrow Waters" by Robert Frank
lin Gates, won third award; 1t de-
picts river flowing between pali-
sades, painted in dark colors with
irridescent flashes.
Four honorable mentions were
bestowed; on Omar Carrington's
"Wayside Station" melancholy
little scene which strongly conveys
the character of the place; on Mar
iorie Deo's Prom the Heights" a
landscape with angels In unearthly
colors; on Margaret Gates view OF
Great Falls, somewhat misty, and
on Ethel Robertson Gath's very
specific Straw Pile"
First, second and third awards
and honorable mention in water
color went to Suzanne Mulett
Smiths Monterey Bay in gray
ish tonality; to Richard Lahey's
store Room a cluttered interior
which will doubtless seem familiar
to almost every householder; to
Paul Arlt,s Lafayette Park" q
witty medley of the White House,
jackson statue, bench sitters and
pigeon feeders; and to Ernest l..
Daly's House Boat" done in a
plush technique that makes 1t rem
iniscent Ito me) Of hot, airless
NIGHTS In a stuffy cabin on the river.
Heinz Warneke's "Prancing Stall
lion" which received first award
for sculpture, is beautiful little
work in polished ebony. Maxim
Elias "Nymph," second award. re-
sembles a lady wrestler, and dem
or1strates what an artist can do with
a piece of lead. Russell Houston's
marble "Cat-Nap," which looks and
feels like heavyweight champion,
won third award.
Anthony Lauck was twice hon
ored. His Turkey In the Straw
a humorous head in wood. won hon.
orable mention in sculpture. and his
red chalk drawing Of q kneeing
figure got first award for drawings.
Virginia Goolkasian, who received
second award for her beautiful black
crayon drawing Of . little Negro
girl, also shows . head Of . man,
just as well done. Harold Jones
evils Of Money" third drawing
award, Is . surreahstic nightmare
Of misers' hands and assorted ap-
partitions.