Vol. XX, No. 6. 
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 
October J91o 
E give below extracts from the letter 
of Mrs. Blair awarding the prizes in 
her design competition for an indi- 
vidual set. We fully endorse her 
decision and feel more than grateful 
to her for her interest in Keramic 
Studio and her encouragement of our 
ceramic designs. This is the second 
time that Mrs. Blair has offered 
$25 prizes for designs in Keramic 
Studio. Besides the designs awarded prizes there were quite a 
number which with trifling alterations will make very attrac- 
tive additions to our stock of "suggestive" designs. 
Next month we will award the prizes in the Keramic 
Studio Design Competition. 
"According to my judgment, the two designs most suitable for 
the two purposes I had in mind — namely, ease of execution and cheer- 
ful effect — are: 
"Flower-baskets, by Leah Rodman Tubby (I don't care especially 
for the color scheme, but the design itself is bright and snappy, and 
beautifully executed.) 
"Gold Finch, by Lola A. St. John. Her other design witb Flower 
Garden Motif is pretty but rather heavy,' while the serrated border 
thereto is too commonplace. 
"After making my choice, as above, I showed the whole collection 
of designs to two of my china-painting friends, one of whom was, 
like myself, an amateur, while the other was a professional. To my 
delight, both of them made the same decision I had made. The con- 
ventional design by Alice B. Sharrard was the third choice of two of 
us, but the third was in favor of the Flower Garden one by L. A. St. 
John, as she thought the Japanese whirls of the Sharrard design too 
difficult to do presentably. She was the professional. 
"Next in favor with us was the Landscape Motif, which appealed 
to us as being almost easy enough to be done with one's eyes shut, 
and just the thing to fall back on when too tired to undertake any- 
thing requiring time and patience! I know three old ladies "In the 
Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia," who would hail this design with 
delight, and bless Essie Foley for giving them such a boon to failing 
eyesight. When I tell you that the eldest of the three sisters is in 
her eightieth year, you will see why they appreciate designs that do 
not call for absolute steadiness of hand and clarity of vision. 
"The other designs we did not consider at all, with the exception 
of the "Spread Eagle," which, though beautiful in itself, and per- 
fectly executed, is too suggestive of war to be cheering to an invalid,— 
for we cannot think of our country and its emblems without having 
our thoughts immediately flying "Over There," where our banners are 
waving over quick and dead." Sincerely yours, 
MARTHA FIELD BLAIR. 
(Mrs. L. H. Blair) 
n k 
The flower gardens of today offer a greater opportun- 
ity for designs than ever before. No longer are we con- 
fined to roses, nasturtiums, violets and the like. Even the 
most modest gardens show more variety and discrimina- 
tion as to decorative effects, and there is a wealth of ma- 
terial on every hand. 
Among the early bloom is the lovely Fleur-de-lis, em- 
blem of France. There are many varieties and much in- 
spiration in the yellows, whites, purples and pale laven- 
ders, especially in the Japanese varieties. Later we have 
the beautiful cultivated species of Columbine, the very in- 
carnation of grace. In its wild state it is a lovely flame 
color, but man has made it take on every variety of hue 
and has enlarged its size and the number of petals. There 
is a wealth of possibilities in the shapes and colorings for 
designers. The leaf is not the least attractive part of the 
plant. 
Then come the snapdragons in varied hues, the lark- 
spurs, hollyhocks, phlox, dahlias, asters and marigolds, Can- 
terbury bells of many varieties, fox gloves, a list too long 
to mention but furnishing color and design in detail for all 
needs. 
And then there is the vegetable garden. Who of us 
has gained inspiration from the bean plant, the leaf and 
pod, it is a wonderfully decorative thing for design. And 
have you studied the lovely potato flower and leaf this 
summer, that pretty narcissus like flower with the yellow 
conelike center, the squash, cucumber and melon vines, with 
their flowers, tendrils and leaves, the dwarf tomato and the 
everbearing strawberry ? 
We have now with us the berry-bearing shrubs, the 
bright transparent currant red of the honeysuckle berry, 
the green white of the dogwood, the highbush cranberry, 
and, as I write, the woodbine or Virginia creeper is in 
berry and the leaves beginning to take on 1>he autumn tints. 
Fortunate is the one who has the leisure to incorpo- 
rate these motifs into a notebook for winter's use, and not 
depend on art books for the drawing of nature forms. Birds 
and butterflies have been with us in unusual' number this 
summer, and, while we cannot catch these except with the 
camera, the -eyes and memory help us much in utilizing 
the snap shots, and the search for beauty makes the eye 
more alert and brings out appreciation. Truly "the world 
is full of a number of things" and art lovers can be a lot 
happier than kings. Henrietta Barclay Paist, 
Assistant Editor. 
ART NOTES 
Henrietta Barclay Paist 
/"jphE prize competition for textile designs offered by the 
A Art Alliance of America and announced in the Sep- 
tember issue of this Magazine, is a rare opportunity and 
should bring out the best efforts of designers in all de- 
partments. 
Barring the technical requirements, the matter of de- 
sign is pretty much the same for all art purposes, and the 
designer who works constructively and who is adaptable 
is equipped to enter any field of design, thereby enlarging 
the possibilities of making a livelihood and meeting the 
necessity for adjustment which unusual conditions have 
brought about. 
It is to be hoped that some of our ceramic workers 
have entered this contest and that some of the honors may 
fall within our circle. 
In spite of the absence of many local artists, the Minne- 
apolis Institute of Art is planning its annual local exhibit, 
to be held this year through October, instead of Novem- 
ber, as is usual. This change of time enables the ex- 
hibitors to take advantage of the fall exhibits in other 
cities. As usual ceramics will be included and the best 
specimens will be reproduced in a later issue of this Maga- 
zine. 
