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KERAMIC STUDIO 
;--v n. 
BIRDS AFTER LEONCE 
Mary Chase Perry 
THE two birds which are flying are brown with red breasts. 
The heads are quite a dark brown with almost black 
markings close to the beaks and about the eyes. There are 
lighter brown and grey touches on the back and out-stretched 
wings. The breasts are a bright, strong red in front becoming 
lighter toward the back. 
The birds which are resting (page 189) have reddish brown 
heads and wings with touches of orange, and the strong lines or 
stripes are a pale grey and white. The breasts are a soft blue 
grey with the centers a strong dark blue into which the light 
feathers soften, making little wavy lines. 
In painting the birds, treat them all very softly as a whole, 
not seeking to place every feather. Rather put in the masses 
in solid color and then pick out enough to suggest the sleek 
smoothness of the back or wings and the downy character of 
the breast. At all events try not to over-paint them with too 
many strokes of the brush or too thickly, but on the other hand 
keep them constantly delicate and clear even in the dark tones. 
CHICAGO CERAMIC ASSOCIATION 
THE seventh annual exhibition of the Association opened 
November 10th, at the Art Institute, and closed Novem- 
ber 20th. Mrs. Charles L. Glass, its fourth president, received 
with the officers and members of the club. There was a strong 
jury of artists and designers of the Institute, and all work ex- 
hibited passed a rigid examination. (This is what we recom- 
mend for all club exhibitions.) 
While marking the seventh annual showing, this is really 
the first gathering of the work of the club displayed solely by 
itself as an art production. Formerly the exhibitions were 
practically sales held at the Auditorium. 
Mrs. Crane's treatment of trumpet vine lemonade pitcher 
was especially admired by the judges, so also the coffee pot, 
Turkish effect, by Mrs. J. C. Long. Mrs. Davis' American 
beauties received honorable mention, so also the exhibit of 
Mrs. Armstrong Green. 
Miss Jeanne Stewart's pitcher in purple Columbine was 
well treated. 
We quote from the criticism by James William Pattison: 
"A tall glass pitcher, sixteen inches high, is a beautiful 
article. Mrs. Cross, the artist who did it, is a glass decorator. 
This tall glass affair is nearly four times as high as its base 
perfectly plain, slightly smaller at the top and made graceful 
by vague curves. Originally it was simply transparent glass. 
The artist gave it a thin tone of color, which reduced the glass 
to translucency and destroyed the polish, Upon this is painted 
the design, a mermaid rampant. She is a very lively young 
thing and her action is well rendered. All about her are swirls 
of lines, suggesting waves and some floating sea weed. Worthy 
of all praise is the maintained translucency. The flesh is left 
in the original flat tone and no effort at realism mars the true 
sentiment of glass. The fish parts are in more solid colors to 
give value to the flesh, but never offensively insisted upon. One 
feels well that this sea maid is floating in liquid. To maintain 
the architectural dignity of the piece a band of very quiet 
design and slight color surrounds the top like a frieze. All 
this is just enough and not too much." 
The poster has taught the artists of Europe many a good 
lesson, and Puvis de Chavannes has taught more. Our deco- 
rators are learning the lesson. We turn to another case of 
objects quite different in character, but equally well and cor- 
rectly managed by Mrs. Wright. Her work is very rich and still 
dignified, very colorful and yet quiet and harmonious. Several 
tall vases, with slender stem and of round foot, are made elabo- 
rate and precious while still maintaining their original char- 
acter. One of them has a broad frieze around the top with 
dark blue and deep red designs on the white surface. Below 
this decorated white band the entire object is gilded to the foot. 
The gold appears to have been semi-polished and then etched 
with acid. At the foot and slightly climbing the stem is a 
decoration recalling the dark blue and red of the top. As a 
composition, as a treatment, all this is correct and charmingly 
tasteful. 
Another painter who has produced good color and used 
simple shapes in porcelain is Miss Helen M. Topping. She 
calls her schemes of decoration Chinese, Arabic, etc., and that 
seems to mean that she has adapted designs from the orientals. 
That this is appropriately done and tastefully applied is al- 
ready worthy of much praise. All nations, in all ages, have 
borrowed from neighbors. If the borrowing finally became 
imbued with a personal or national sentiment, they had a 
right to be set apart as original. This was true of the good 
old Delft. It commenced Chinese and ended as good Dutch. 
If I were this artist I would call my ware simply "Topping." 
And the same is true of Miss Iglehart's "Egyptian." All 
this artist's work is pleasing. Of Mrs. Frazee and Miss Philipps 
the same may be said; each seems to have comprehended the 
