Kenneth Stubbs
(American artist, 1907-1967)

March | May

"Little Gallery" Is Opened by Young Artists of Capital

A group of young Washington artists have "set up shop" for themselves. This is a delightful "little gallery," which is its rightful name and it is on Connecticut Avenue at 1731. Their first exhibition is a creditable show. This is the first attempt on the part of artists in the city to start a gallery for exhibition of their own paintings and it is a laudable effort, which, it is hoped, Washington will support.

There is no commercial element in this effort to show the works of the young painters of the city. There are about 5 artists, all under 25, who first began their work at the Corcoran Gallery and then went on to study at Provincetown and elsewhere. Now they are showing the public what they can do and what they can do is worth seeing. Several of the artists hve studios in the same building as the gallery. The gallery itself has a fine light and quite a professional air.

It is planned to make changes from time to time, but these changes will be informal, a few paintings taken down and others put up and the whole gallery entirely changed every three or four weeks. There is an attractive list of paintings with a cover design in black and white by Hugh Collins, which is imaginative and charming. It gives an excellent send-off to the new venture.

The paintings are by five artists, Charles Darby, Ita Romagna and Fritz Fuglister. The two latter are Swiss. Then there are Kenneth Stubbs and Hugh Collins. Charles Darby has some imaginative paintings which are excellent. "Rain Horses" has a fine spirited movement shown in the horses. The nude and the "Pigeons and St. Mathews" are also well characterized, the nude being well constructed. Fritz Fuglister has attempted the most ambitious painting in the little show in a large "Woman" and "Mask," which have painter-like qualities; the color is execllent.

Hugh Collins shows two prints--"Witch Doctor" and "Tartar Girl"--a portrait of Miss K., a still life and a water color of the "Old Wharf" at Provincetown, which is well organized, and the "Gas House" here when it lights up in the evening, done in pastels. Ita Romagna's "Painting in Ochre" is unusual and has a quality that is imaginative and fine in design. "Silver Day" and "Still Waters," by Kenneth Stubbs, are both interesting contributions.

From this first venture the "Little Gallery" may grow into something important, for small beginnings, when they are sincere and backed by enthusiasm, as this is, grow into an expression of art which Washington has been without until the present. Here's to the new "Little Gallery." May it prosper and become great. It is open daily from 1 to 6 o'clock.

Ada Rainey, Washington Post, March 1, 1931, page S8

"Little Gallery" Moves

The "Little Gallery" has moved farther uptown and is now well established in a home of its own at 1725 Nineteenth Sttreet. A whole house has been made into an art gallery and some studios upstairs fo the young artists who are showing their paintings in this newest gallery in town.

The painters who are showing their works are Kenneth Stubbs, Charles Darby, High Collins, Ita Romagna, Fritz Fuglister, Aurealius Battaglia and Katharine Monroe.

All of these artists have studied at the Corcoran School of Art and have then gone on to study under different painters or have developed along their own individual lines. The present exhibition which opens today is varied and better than their first showing on Connecticut Avenue. Katharine Monroe is the only woman with the group. She is represented by a still life which is clear in outline and brilliant in color. A "Decoration," by Kenneth Stubbs, is one of the best things in the show and is rhythmic and romantic in the swaying bodies of the forms, which are shown in a beauty of form that is unescapable. A portrait by the same artist, called "Elvira," is the only other work by him. It is an excellent portrait of a young girl which is rich in color.

Hugh Collins has a cubistic still life excellent in design, a "Flower Seller" in oil, a water color "Seventh Street" and some charming ink drawings. But the most original of all are three wood carvings. One, a figure of a woman which shows fine rhythmic lines, and two bas-relief carvings in mahagony called "Devil" and "Saint." Both are stylized and have excellent lines.

Fritz Fuglister, American born, but of Swiss parentage, is represented by three figure paintings. A stimulating "Head" of a young woman is rich and full in color. There is another figure which is intensely individualistic. It is printed with freedom and is expressive. Charles Darby shows an imaginative wood carving which is called "The "Eagle." It is fantastic but catches the imagination. Other works by this same artist are rather sinister in tone, the paint being rather dark and the forms not especially pleasing.

Caricatures by Aurelius Battaglia, who has just had an exhibition of caricatures at the Corcoran School, where he has been studying. He manages to instill a very effective characterization into these drawings, which are amusing and interesting.

This effort of the young painters in the city is encouraging. It shows that they have initiative and believe enough in themselves and in their art to think it of value to the public to see. It is decidedly. The new gallery is tastefully arranged. The walls are neutral in tone, rather light, but an excellent background for showing of paintings. There are really two galleries with a hall which can also be utilized for hanging, which makes them available for paintings, water colors and works in black and white. The gallery will grow to being an important art center in the city, which will doubtless be devoted to the progressive movement in art, as these painters are all imbued with the present manner of painting and are not in any way imitating the past. With the enthusiasm of youth and the devotion to art much can be accomplished. They have done a great deal in their first fling to move into a larger and better gallery and into their own house at that, within the first few months of their venture.

The gallery is opened to the public from 10 until 5 o'clock and one is sure to see something stimulating and worth-while in this most recent art expression of the town.

Washington Post, May 17, 1931, page S9