Vol. I, No. 4 
NEW YORK AND SYRACUSE 
August 1899 
f 
N preparing for your fall exhibition work, devote 
your energy to what may be the chef-d-ceuvre of 
your collection. That is, have at least one piece 
that gives a new idea, either in a color scheme or 
in design. After that is out of the way, no doubt 
other inspirations will quickly follow. A lot of 
little pin trays or button boxes do not as a rule 
give tone to an art exhibit, but may be profitable 
in a studio sale. 
4° 
Another book that we recommend for sum- 
sicMlL. mer study is " The Basis of Design," by Walter 
Crane. Although not a study of porcelain, the principles of 
design are so clearly and interestingly given, that one is per- 
fectly charmed with it from beginning to end, and finds every- 
thing instructive, and applicable to keramics. The book is 
formed from a series of lectures the author addressed to the 
students of the Manchester School of Art, during his tenure 
of directorship of design at that institution. He says: "My 
main object, however, has been to trace the vital veins and 
nerves of relationship in the arts of design, which, like the sap 
from the central stem, springing from connected and collective 
roots, out of a common ground, sustain and unite in one or- 
ganic whole, the living tree. In an age when, owing to the 
action of certain economic causes — the chiefest being com- 
mercial competition — the tendency is to specialize each branch 
of design, which thus becomes isolated from the rest, I feel it 
is most important to keep in mind the real fundamental con- 
nection and essential unity of art ; and though we may, as stu- 
dents and artists, in practice be intent upon gathering the 
fruit from the particular branch we desire to make our own, 
we should never be insensible to its relation to other branches, 
its dependence upon the main stem and the source of its life 
at the root. Otherwise we are, I think, in danger of becoming 
mechanics in our work, or too narrowly technical, while, as a 
collective result of such narrowness of view, the art of the 
age, to which individual contributes, shows a want of both 
imaginative harmony and technical relation with itself, when 
unity of effect and purpose is particularly essential, as in the 
design and decoration of both public and private buildings, 
not to speak of the larger significance of art as the most per- 
manent record of the life and ideals of a people." 
There has been much discussion of late, in regard to the 
proper application of historic ornament to modern design. 
The columns of the Keramic Studio are open to all who are 
interested in the subject, whether they agree with us or not. 
The editor who has charge of this department has her own 
ideas on the subject, but she does not claim to be infallible. 
Her own designs frequently appear faulty to her, but they are 
at least a step toward the goal. For instance: The tea caddy 
design, suggested by Chinese ornament. The all over design 
of bats should have been modernized to harmonize with the 
top. Her theory on the subject will be found in the article 
on Chinese ornament. We invite criticism from all who differ 
in theory, as the discussion can not fail to be of mutual bene- 
fit to editors and readers. 
The order of Historic Design, according to Owen Jones, 
is as follows. Those marked with an asterisk we shall omit 
for the present. 
Egyptian Etruscan* Turkish* Hindoo Mem/etal 
Assyrian Roman* Moresque* Chinese Renaissance 
Greek Byzantine* Persian Japanese Elizabethan 
Pompeian* Arabian Indo-Persian Celtic Italian 
Modern 
The Chinese art being contemporary and not evolved 
from Greek art, we will treat of it in this number; giving the 
simpler designs, the more intricate will be given in the next 
number. After the Chinese, we will return to the Arabian. 
The writer of the articles on Historic Ornament, wishes 
to give due credit to the authors from whose works she re- 
ceives great assistance — Racinet, and Owen Jones. The stu- 
dent would do well to examine these works on ornament at 
the public libraries, the color plates are especially magnificent 
and instructive. 
We are in receipt of an interesting letter from Miss M. 
Louise McLaughlin, in which she tells something of her new 
ware, and expresses regret that she could not exhibit with the 
League in Chicago. She writes; " I hoped to be able to send 
some pieces to your Exhibition and have waited until the last 
moment to tell you that it has not been possible for me to be 
represented there. I had arranged to have an exhibit of my 
new ware for the Spring Exhibition at our Art Museum. 
That opened May 20th. I was able to make an exhibit of 
twenty pieces but that is about all I had on hand. This work 
has proved so fascinating that I have found myself quite ab- 
sorbed by it. I have now about passed the experimental 
stage, but there are many delightful uncertainties in a high 
temperature kiln, and some that are not so delightful. One 
does not quite know what surprises are in store tor one, and 
the moment of opening the seggars is always an exciting one. 
I fear I shall have to put off making an exhibit in New York 
until autumn, unless I should remove my exhibit from the 
Museum. I want to compliment you on the very fine appear- 
ance of your new paper, as well as the interesting contents. I 
should be glad to avail myself of your invitation to write 
something for it. * * * I have now accomplished the 
task I set myself, — making a body and fitting a glaze to it 
which would answer my purpose, but as this is a very large 
subject, there are yet some details which I have not worked 
out, and there are effects and causes which I expect to un- 
derstand later on. Meanwhile let me congratulate you on the 
KERAMIC STUDIO and wish you all success. Yours very sin- 
cerely, M. Louise McLaughlin." We publish portions of 
Miss McLaughlin's letter that our subscribers may enjoy the 
anticipation of hearing more about the new ware from the 
hands and brain of this indefatigable worker, the pioneer, one 
may say, of keramics in America. We wish her the success 
that she deserves, and we will hail with delight her exhibit 
when it reaches New York. 
