International studio (50.1913)

A Tribute to the Work of the Late Norman St. Clair

hand was sure in lineal construction, but early in
his professional career he felt the call of the poetic
muse and abandoned all to become an interpreter
of Californian landscape. His transition from a
literalist to an idealist is of interest to us only in
the ultimate triumph of the latter which was not
reached without a long struggle.
Mr. St. Clair was ever a prodigious worker.
Setting for himself a standard of the highest
degree of perfection, he worked steadily to attain
its level. Pos¬
sessing aremark-
ablywell-trained
color sense along
with sure knowl¬
edge of draughts¬
manship, he in a
comparatively
short timereach-
ed a stage in his
artistic develop¬
ment that might
be envied by
men beyond his
years. Many
will remember
with pleasure his
several delight¬
ful studies of
Californian foot¬
hill landscapes
that were shown
in the exhibition
of the New York
Watercolor Soci¬
ety. These se¬
cured the high¬
est praise from
critics of inter¬
national reputa¬
tion.
E s p e c ially
praiseworthy is his happy rendering of light
and air and the peculiar restfulness of his hand-
ling. A fine study of Californian oaks was se-
lected by the Society of Western Artists to ac-
company its traveling exhibition and a group
of three long-shore marines painted on the Pa-
cific Coast won recognition for the artist at the
recent exposition in Rome. To paint in water-
colors passably fair is a feat requiring no mean
talent, but to render nature in this medium, in
a manner at once strong and truthful as Mr.
St. Clair did, is nothing short of genius.

The artist who speaks to us in oil colors may
prepare his message with ease and deliberation.
He may sketch his subject, “lay in the color”
and pause for days’, even weeks’, consideration.
As the composition progresses, if it does not
please him, it may be painted out and re-arranged
at its master’s will. Not so with the sketch in
watercolor. The washes dry almost as soon as
applied and there is almost no erasing. An oil
study may be worked from dark to light and
back to dark
again, if the
values are at
fault. Not so a
watercolor. The
lights must be
preserved in
their proper
places on the
paper and care-
fully painted
around. Noth-
ing must mar
their pure radi-
ance of color.
If a dark hue
creeps in where
it does not be-
long, the success
of the canvas is
impaired, for it
must be “scrub-
bed” out and
nine times out of
ten the result is
a muddy blotch
upon an other-
wise perfect ren-
dering. These
are only a few
of the many ob-
stacles which be-
set the path of aspiring water-colorists of which the
worker in oils knows nothing. The water-colorist
must know his medium absolutely when he sets
out to paint a picture. There is no chance for
experiments.
To review a collection of paintings by Mr. St.
Clair always proves a pleasure, for here was an
artist who, along with his technique, developed
a marked individuality in the handling of his
color. Mr. St. Clair’s work is unique in the
respect that it is totally unlike that of others.
He worked in almost a craftsmanlike manner


WHERE SPRING AND AUTUMN MEET

BY NORMAN ST. CLAIR

IX