EDITORIAL AND GENERAL 



265 



FROM A PAINTING FROM NATURE. 



says it is. If in doubt go to Tiffany's, 

 and I think that after you have in- 

 spected their china you will change 

 your mind. The men who painted that 

 served a seven year's apprenticeship, 

 and always keep on moving. How 

 then do you expect to become pro- 

 ficient in one or two terms of lessons, 

 and a transfer? 



In your landscape work, you can 

 paint little scenes which have perhaps, 

 pleasing associations, or possess a 

 meaning for you or for your friends, 

 and which may be handed down 

 through generations to come. They 

 will not be copies of some flower study, 

 such as perhaps thousands are copy- 

 ing at the same time, and which will be 

 recognized by every caller who sees 

 them and which you in your turn will 

 recognize in many of your friends' 

 homes. No ! You will have something 

 different from any one else, and if your 

 work is well done you will be both 

 praised and envied. 



But perhaps your heart is set on 

 something different from landscapes 

 and marine views, perhaps on fruit. If 

 so, go to the garden again. You have a 

 grape arbor; if not. you know where 

 there is one. It is just as simple to 

 draw from nature as from a study and 

 a great deal more interesting — only 



you cannot trace nature with carbon 

 paper. In addition to grapes there are 

 blackberries, raspberries, currants — 

 red, white and black, hop vines, and 

 other twining plants, and all are beau- 

 tiful if painted naturally and with nat- 

 ural surroundings, with sky and earth 

 for a background and not with a con- 

 glomeration of colors that are mis- 

 placed according to nature. You can- 

 not improve on nature's colors; even if 

 your sky is leaden it will make your 

 leaves and fruit all the more distinct, 

 will soften the varied and vivid greens 

 and lend a richness of color to the fruit. 

 ( )f course grapes in sunlight — that is, 

 between you and the sun, are perhaps 

 more beautiful, more translucent, more 

 brilliant with reflected lights. Take 

 your choice. The grey background 

 and the quieter colors are a little easier 

 to paint, but I notice that the amateur 

 often despises the simple and wrestles 

 with the difficult. 



What I have written in this article 

 is merely by way of introduction. In 

 succeeding numbers I shall give in- 

 structions in china painting, handling 

 each subject in three lessons, "one for 

 each fire," giving a graphic outline, 

 describing the colors to be used, and 

 the mixing of the mediums. The les- 

 son will be free. Do not despise it on 

 that account. Questions about decor- 

 ating will in the following issue, be 

 answered to subscribers only. Ad- 

 dress "Ceramics," care The; Guide to 

 Nature. 



Stray Thoughts of a Nature Lover. 



BY JOHN A. SHEDD, NEW YORK CITY. 



If you cannot afford a tiger keep a 



cat. 



The country makes men ; the city 

 spends them. 



It is something to boast of to have 

 gained the confidence of a cat. 



If there are green fields in Heaven, 

 I know God will not forget the street- 

 car horses. 



The clover is such a homely little 

 Mower, but pray tell me which flower 

 has more honey? 



Nature forced, rebels ; you may 

 double her blossoms if you will, but 

 then she takes her perfume from them. 



