Evening star., 1950-01-01


are in the second-hoor galleries
and hall, and drawings. water
colors and prints fill the print
rooms.
Negro Spirituals
interpretations of Negro spirit
uals by Ruth Starr Rose, on view
at United Nations Club through
January 10, compose one of the
most enjoyable exhibitions pre-
sented this holiday season.
The artist grew up at historic
Hope House near Easton. Md. and
later raised her own family at
Pickbourn across the tidewater
harbor from Hope. Some months
ago she moved to Alexandria. She
is intimately acquainted with the
music of the Negroes, as sung by
those who live on Maryland's East
ern Shore. She said her interpre-
tations were inspired by the songs
of the colored people as they
worked in the field, as they sang in
their churches, as they threw their
crab lines from their skiffs on the
wide Chesapeake.
Four boys who worked for her
as field hands, organized a quar-
tet to sing in the church of
Copperville, Md. It's preacher
asked Mrs. Rose to paint mural
for this little chapel of the African
Methodist Church. She respond
ed with a mural inspired by the
spiritual "Pharaoh's Army Got
Drownded." In the curren show
is a print of the same subject.
Grateful for the fresco, the Rev
rem asked the artist if his church
could bring a choir of so singers
to her home, to sing for all her
friends and the glory of God.
Mrs. Roses Autographs and
silk screen prints are naturalistic
in form, but highly imaginative,
and certain subjects have a hint
of distortion for the sake of
emphasizing the comedy in a stu
alton. Besides this quality, as she
points out, there is tragedy and
deep human feeling. There is
an even level of achievement in
her work.
About half of the 80 prints on
view interpret the spirituals. The
others are of Mexican subjects
and a few of the Far West. A little
group of artists and others had
a 'previeW" of this show at the
home of Mrs. Cazenove G. Lee, jr.,
the middle of October. when Mrs.
Rose, a Vassar classmate of Mrs.
Lee, gave an informal talk about
her prints. Mrs. Rose has par
ticipated in several group shows
here this autumn and has had
earlier solo exhibitions in Wash
ington. I recall particularly, one
at the Whyte Gallery during the
war.
/ X X + X
Murals, Glass, Portraits
r. McGill Mackall, native of
Baltimore and now instructor and
head of the department of fine
arts, Maryland Institute there, is
showing nearly 80 oil paintings,
water colors and other works in
George Washington University's
library Tuesday, Wednesday
Thursday and Friday.
Mr.. Mackau has an impressive
record. Best known as a portrait
painter, he has also designed and
executed murals for the State
of Maryland War Memorial and
the Baltimore National Bank
among other places; has designed
Is windows for seven churches
in Maryland and Virginia, includ-
ing the new windows in Christ
Church, Baltimore.
After attending Baltimore City
College and Maryland Institute,
he went on to the Art Students
League of New York, Munich's
Royal Academy, and several ia
nous art academies in Paris. He
has exhibited in Europe and in
the principal Eastern cities of the
United States.
MIR. Mackall paints in the ma
turalistic tradition; his work is
distinguished by excellent crafts
manship. pleasing subjects and
color. The current display includes
formal portraits and a series of
small pastel sketches for others,
flower paintings, landscape and
harbor scenes, several poster like
decorative paintings. studies for