Studio: international art (61.1914)

Jessie Bayes, Painter and Craftswoman

THE ART OF JESSIE BAYES,
PAINTER AND CRAFTS-
WOMAN. BY J. O UIGLEY.

Vivre sans reve, qu'est-ce?

An artist who holds a special place in the art-
world of to-day is Miss Jessie Bayes, painter,
craftworker, dreamer and enthusiast, who belongs,
and yet does not belong, to her own time. She
brings to a materialistic age and to a peculiarly
restless and revolutionary period in the history of
art her own delightful visions and ideals, a burning
love of beauty, and an intense desire to beautify
the life of every day. Hers is a wholly personal
art, the outcome of a mind steeped in art tra-
ditions, in poetry and mystic lore. She has drunk
deep from the source of strange and well-nigh
forgotten yet imperishable legends, and she herself
seems almost an exotic personality, one who has
wandered by accident into her present environ-

ment. In spite of her great love of life and
sympathy with the world of to-day, one feels that
her deepest sympathy is given to nature and
simple joys, to the ideals of a former age when art
was an essential part of life.

At the first sight of her distinguished work one
instinctively wishes to know something of this
artist's personality, recognising the loving patience
and inevitable solitude essential to this somewhat
laborious art. Allied with her joyous spirit there
must be a rare patience which delights in detail, in
portraying symbols and a wealth of imagery in
pure and jewel-like colour. Often we find no
outward affinity between a work of art and its
creator, but those who know Miss Jessie Bayes
realise that her personality is wholly harmonious
with her art. Though living in touch with a
hurried and restless age her mind is firm and at
rest. Balanced and sure as to what is best for the
development of her own life and work, she gives

illuminated manuscript, "the lady of shalott "

LXI. No. 253.—May 1914

written and illuminated by jessie bayes

26l