Evening star., 1949-04-10
Weisz Retrospective at the Arts Club;
Rebecca Bryant Is Modern Impressionist
By Florence S. Berrymor

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S. Berymon
tpaints landscapes and marines In
strong. dark color. and sirnplified
to near distractions. Such paint
ings as The Cape" In O heavy
impasto. are executed to carry a
long distance. She approaches
naturalism In such specific works
as Alma Mater" and "Old
South" a romantic garden with
hanging gray moss.
Portraits of Women
Beautiful exhibitions by two
Washington artists, whose work
is seen too seldom, have just
opened at George Washington
! University, to remain only through
April "a. Pencil portraits in color
by Helen e. Townsend and oil
paintings by Charles Bittinger
are hanging on the first and Sec
ond floors Of the library, which is
open daily and Sunday, but will
be closed next week end (the
Easter recess.
Miss Townsends portraits,
created with colored pencils. i'm
press the observer as essentially
feminine work, delicate, high
keyed. serene. They recall 18th
century French pastel and red
chalk portraits, yet Miss Town
sends technique is entirely differ
ent from those. Furthermore, the
decorative quality Of her portraits
Is secondary. in her aims, the
major one being to get q good
likeness. Persons acquainted with
her subjects will recognize her sue
cess In this respect. All seven in
this groups are Washingtonians; !;
Mrs. Uhler Briggs and Mrs. Ralph
Richards. we'll known in Arts Club
circles: Sue White. Margaret Nc
Inerney, Mrs. Maurice McInerney.
Frances Stearns. little girl with
long golden hair, and the writer.
Miss Townsend was born in
Ehingham. ILL.,. but has been a
Washington resident since her
early childhood. She began her
study Of art at the Corcoran
School, attended Parsons and
Cooper Union in New York and
painted in summer classes in
Rockport and Provincetown, Mass,
and Chester Springs, Pa. She
received a diploma in landscape
after two years Of study at the
School of Fine Arts In Fontaine-
bleau. France.
Miss Townsend was art instruc-
tor at Mcfarland Junior High for
81 years. but resigned two years
ago to devote her time to por-
traiture. She is a member of the
Arts Club and Society Of Wash
ington Artists.
Capt. Bittinger's exhibition will
be reviewed next Sunday.
People and Animals
Leonard Maurer is having q one
man show at the central Public
Library this month. It comprises
about 80 pen, ink and wash draw
ings, most of them done in the
past year. during which the artist
has given his full time to paint
ing.
A native of Irvington, N. j., he
was in the 9th Infantry Division
for nearly five years, in this coun-
try and in Europe. After the war
he came to Washington with the
Army Map Service, which position
he gave UP last year. He studied
art at American University and at
the Phillips Gallery School. He
has exhibited with groups in a
number Of local galleries, and re-
Gently elsewhere.
Mr.. Maurer's current show COM
prises studies Of human figures
and animals. He seems to be
more impressed with the former.
in the treatment Of which he has
experimental with several pen and
brush techniques. simple outline
and wash. heavy cross Matching
and others. Consequently. these
works look more like experimental
studies than drawings complete In
| themselves.
Not so his studies Of animals,
which he seems to have ap-
preached In a simple, direct way,
uncomplicated with theories OF
esthetics. His studies Of deer. q