Vol. VIII, No. 5 
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 
September, 1906 
MONG the old fashioned garden 
flowers to be found at this season, 
are many very decorative ones 
that have been little used by 
ceramists. The Foxglove, Lark- 
spur, Snapdragon, Hollyhock, the 
Coreopsis, Marigold, Zinnia, 
Dolichos, Plumbago, Tuberose 
and Bachelor's Button, together 
with the old standbys, furnish a 
Now is the time to gather all the 
They will 
rich harvest of designs. 
quaint seed pods of garden, wood and meadow. 
yield abundantly also to the seeker after new motifs. 
The color study for this month, "Zinnias" by Mary 
Overbeck, was the first prize decorative color study of the 
last competition but one. We consider it one of the most 
artistic studies we have yet produced. Most of the designs 
in this number are from the three Misses Overbeck of Cam- 
bridge City, Ind. It will be interesting and instructive 
to follow the evolution of the design from the study especially 
in theTcase of the Zinnias of Miss Mary and the Pumpkin 
flower of Miss' Hannah. Miss Margaret is instructor at 
De Pauw Institute, Greenville, Ind. Several of her designs 
and studies received prizes in the last Rose Competition. 
The October number of Keramic Studio will be 
almost entirely the work of Miss Mabel Dibble, of Chicago, 
.one of the leading disciples of the Conventional School. 
The Color Supplement will be a Punch Bowl with 
Peacock decoration. 
From the circular of the Jamestown Exposition we 
find under the Fine Arts Division the following classifica- 
tion: 
CLASS 25. 
Paintings and Drawings. 
Paintings on canvas, wood, metal enamel, porcelain, 
faience, and on various preparations, by all direct methods 
in oil, wax tempera and other media; mural paintings; 
fresco paintings on walls. 
Drawings and cartoons in water color, pastel, chalk, 
charcoal, pencil and o.ther media, on any material. Min- 
iatures on ivory. 
CLASS 30. 
ART CRAFT. 
Art work in glass other than Mosaics. 
Art work in earthenware: pottery or porcelain. 
Art work in metal other than sculpture. 
Art work in leather. 
Art work in wood other than carvings. 
Art work in textiles. 
Artistic book-binding. 
Art work not covered by any other group. 
This will be good news to ceramic workers. It will be 
noted that paintings on porcelain will be admitted /on the 
same footing as on canvas or any other medium. 
The design of Purple Clematis in August number was 
by mistake given as a design by Mrs. Carrie Williams The 
designer is Mrs. Chas. L. Williams of Glens Falls, N. Y 
LEAGUE NOTES 
Miss Bennett who is to criticise our study course 
again this year, was recently secured to deliver seven 
lectures on arts and crafts, at the biennial meeting of the 
General Federation of Women's Clubs. She asked for some 
National League pieces with which to help illustrate her 
talk on porcelain. She writes me that instead of one 
lecture a day, she averaged three a day. One formal, 
and two in which the women questioned, and applauded. 
She says, "The china was carefully installed and made a 
handsome showing and was of deep interest to one and 
all. Perhaps more so as the impression that prevails 
seems condemnatory to hand painted china. Some few 
read in art magazines that there are pieces that are liked 
by the most critical art workers, they are, therefore, most 
glad of an opportunity to see for themselves what is meant. 
The questions were so numerous that it kept'the ladies in- 
terested in spreading art crafts knowledge, and me more than 
busy answering. In the display were pieces that I used, 
to show the proper use of floral decoration. To show that 
flowers are legitimate ornaments if conventionalized, 
that is eliminating the accidents and incidents of natural 
growth, and accepting and using the main character- 
istics in simple form. There were pieces with no floral 
motifs at all, purely geometrical arrangements of straight 
and curved lines; and again pieces that combined both 
floral and geometric patterns. Needless to state that the 
color, whether bright and jewel like, or low in tone, was 
always interesting and satisfactory. For it seems to me 
that no man or woman who succeeds in china decoration, 
ayouW ever have taken it up, who did not possess a strong 
sense of color. Some of the work was almost complica- 
ted it was so ornamental, while other pieces were so simple 
and delicate they suggested fine stenciling. Several 
of the fine examples of the simpler type from National 
League members I mention as especially good. I had 
difficulty sometimes in convincing the spectators that 
some of the work did not come from abroad. I am sorry 
not to write more on this absorbing division of art handi- 
craft, but you might not be prepared for a lengthy burst 
of eloquence and I will promptly close thanking you for 
your interest in the matter." 
Miss Bennett's lecture has reached thousands of 
representative women who are working for a better, and 
more beautiful America. They are stimulating the artistic, 
musical and literary imagination, and refining the taste. 
Our work has been introducted, let us recognize our 
responsibilities. Charles B. Wyrick, 6228 Wabash Ave., 
Chicago, has applied for individual membership. 
Belle Barnett Vesey 
President. 
