Annual exhibition. - New York Art Resources Consortium

FOREWORDTo THE EXHIBITION COMMITTEEGENTLEMEN :It was with considerable surprise that last year, on theopening day of the First Combined Exhibition of the NewYork Water Color Club, and the American Water ColorSociety, I found my name in the Catalogue.I am a retiring old lady and hate newspaper notoriety, butit was "thrust upon" me. Fortunately I subscribe to all thenews-clipping agencies, and it was delightful to me to realizehow heartily the Press had appreciated your efforts to givea fine Exhibition.If I am not mistaken one Critic only seemed a little sarcastic—a certain Mr. dear me, what was his name? Oh well,it doesn't matter. He said something about the show containinga larger amount of meritorious students' work than usual,but nothing to particularly attract the public.I was glad he found it meritorious, but felt worried aboutthe public, and so I put on my old bonnet and hurried straightto the Exhibition.The Galleries were crowded with people I supposed to bethe happy parents of the students, but learnt that they werenot. They were the public attracted to the Exhibition by thesplendid pictures it contained, and I gasped when I heard thesalesman had earned $400 a week out of his commissions.I just thought to myself, "It only proves Mr. what's-hisnamedoesn't know anything about the Public," and I lookedround for a lovely little picture, and bought one by an artistwhose name was unknown to me. One has to do more thanmerely talk about art. How can we get great artists unlesswe encourage small ones until they become great?Hoping your next Combined Exhibition will be even moresuccessful than the last. I remain,Yours very truly,HANNAHPIMERTON.