Studio: international art (12.1898)

Some Glasgow Designers

DESIGN FOR EMBROIDERY BY JESSIE R. NEWBERY

sidered an exotic, but a
fully acclimatised growth.

Perhaps in place of try-
ing to interpret Mrs.New-
bery's artistic creed from
her designs, it would be
more interesting to quote
her own words in reply to
a request that she would
state her ideas on the mat-
ter. Therein she says,
after disclaiming any per-
sonal theories of design
for embroidery specially:
" I believe that the
greatest thing in the
world is for a man to
know that he is his own,
and that the great end in
art is the discovery of
the self of the artist.

" I believe in being
the sum of tradition ;
that consciously or un-
consciously men are all
so, but some are more
derivative than others.

" I believe in educa-
tion consisting of seeing

But the designs of Mrs. Newbery do not appear in the best that has been done. Then, having this
public for the first time here ; for several years past high standard thus set before us, in doing what we
her work has not been overlooked by those who are like to do : that for our fathers, this for us.
alive to modern design. In the last Arts and Crafts " I believe that nothing is common or unclean ;
were cushion covers, a mantel border, a book that the design and decoration of a pepper pot is
of emblems bound in green morocco gilt, and a as important, in its degree, as the conception of a
quilt shown upon Mr. Christie's iron four-post cathedral.

bedstead, all designed by Jessie R. Newbery, " I believe that material, space, and consequent
who also exhibited a chalice and paten, an use discover their own exigencies and as such have
altar frontal, and a repousse alms plate, worked to be considered well.

from her designs in the previous exhibition, " I believe in everything being beautiful, pleasant,
1893. Therefore, those who follow closely the and, if need be,useful.

history of the applied arts among us will not be " To descend to particulars, I like the opposition
unaware of the style of Mrs. Newbery's work, not of straight lines to curved ; of horizontal to vertical;
unmindful of its distinctly personal quality. But of purple to green, of green to blue,
before that, "Jessie Rowat," as medallist of South " I delight in correspondence and the inevitable
Kensington, was not unknown to those who follow relation of part to part.

the course of English design somewhat closely. " I specially aim at beautifully shaped spaces and
Here we may confine our attention to the designs try to make them as important as the patterns,
for embroidery, which are singularly attractive, in- " I try to make most appearance with least effort,
asmuch as they are not obviously modelled on but insist that what work is ventured on is as
purely oriental designs, but seem to keep no little perfect as may be.

of the naivete of old British work—which may " I hope that in the foregoing expression of
indeed be traced back through continental an- opinion I have not seemed over egotistic, consider-
cestors to the mystic East, so that it cannot be con- ing the little sum of work accomplished by me."
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