Evening star., 1949-06-17
This and That
BIZ Charles Il. TrGceiDeu

Templeton Jones, art lover, recently got Q
letter from Mrs. s. H. of p street.
It viii be recalled that Jones was having
his daughter Mary's portrait painted. and
did not altogether like the artists Offering.
The eyes. he felt. were not right
We prevailed on Temp to allow us TO print
the letter. since it will help many persons to
evaluate this type Of artistic endeavor.
Dear MIR. JONES'" writes Mrs. II. "As the
recently with sadness, for have never before
failed to enjoy your warm humanity.
"As artists will soon be extinct species, 1t
cannot matter that your little story tends to
belittle their abilities. / should Judge that
you did not select the right artist. But let
me point out that you must have been
searching for more than q Photographic re-
semblance or you would never have hired .
painter. Was that some special quality the
artist had the chance to see? Did you invite
the artist to your family circle? Did you give
watch her at play? Perhaps her shyness with
. stranger made her stiff and unnatural. A
woman once brought her grandchild. crying
babe-in-arms, to the studio and thrust him at
the artist. commanding portrait. The artist
refused. saying the only sensible way to paint
q child would be through winning its ap-
proval and confidence. to see little Of that
part which the camera does not get
IF the father and mother were not salts
fed the picture must have been lacking. but
there ought to be limit as to how many
people an artist is obliged to satisfy. Some
times when the immediate family is highly
pleased q third cousin by marriage comes
along and says the nose is too long. "a
portrait feel is the most real Of me Is not
liked by any Of my friends.) It often happens
that the sitter Is satisfied but lacks the
courage Of her own convictions and. II some
body who would not dare dislike her dress
or her hair style, says her portrait Is not
good she loses her pleasure in 1t. Few people
feel competent to criticize music but have
yet to meet any one who doesn't feel ap-
pointed from on high to sound OF about art.
I'VE have many elfin Marys In our collec-
ton of pictures. The only way to learn how
to catch their charm is by drawing and
painting them for the most part unhired and
unpaid. Of course. Your artist probably num-
bers his portraits by the hundreds and not
by the thousands, or perhaps he expects to
be paid by the hour.
Please pardon me If am pSesuming to
give you advice. You must have seen some
Of the work Of the artist YOU hired. You
must have felt that he had the ability TO
catch the beauty Of those corn-nower blue
eyes Of Mary. The artist Is more eager to
make good portrait than to take your
tell him you think he can do better. ask him
II he would like to try again when the
weather is cooler? Find out II his studio Is
miserable If he has good light for working.
Ask him If he would like to do Mary against
her own background. Let him see her In her
play, clothes as wen as her dress UP clothes.
Tell him he has made good portrait but you
know he can make one even better Pay him
something for the effort he has put In.
choice Of your artist that you may yet have
portrait Of which you viii be very proud.
But let me warn you that children often
make errors In their critical Judgment Of art
works. They often prefer calendar art 70 the
works OF the masters. They may be inflexihle
but not too trustworthy judges. An outsize
colored photograph would please them far
more than an oil painting.
II see your situation because I have often
been In the middle of similar ones. They
sometimes end with Observation-Disclosures all
around. hope it win work out TO everybody's
satisfaction, including Mary's. who probably
wishes she's never heard OF q portrait.
Sincerely yours" etc.
Templeton Jones appreciates this litter.
He told us that it would help him get the
portrait he wants. without q doubt. The
key sentence. he feels. Is this: The artist b
more eager TO make good portrait than 20
take your money As for the children pre-
ferring calendar art to the works Of the
masters. Temp Jones says he can sympathtse
with them, sometimes he feels that way him.
self Jones has sneaking suspicion. Let M
add, that IN outsized colored photograph
pleases him. too. ct times. far more than IN
OH painting. He feels that he has learned
something about art from this letter. and
Templeton Jones' b the SORT Of psracn who
- didn't know yQt3das. -