From this nucleus there were before long offshoots in two directions—in a higher and in a more rudimentary line. The Woman’s Exchange was organized to provide a market for the large surplus of handiwork of all kinds that was pressed upon the society; and a less numerous, more compact organization was originated to attempt a higher development of the work—this being called the Associated Artists. Thus they had three efficient agencies occupying ground in this order, artistically considered—The Woman’s Exchange, The Decorative Art Society, The Associated Artists. Each of these is still doing its appointed work, but our present purpose has to do only with the most advanced—The Associated Artists.
It should be said, however, of the Woman’s Exchange, that it has spread the most widely; because it deals with the simple forms of ornamentation which require but little training, but it produces articles that are salable. Thus it has become a bread-and-butter enterprise to a large mass of women. Not only do all of our leading cities now boast of Exchanges, but Princess Louise, after her first visit to this country, caused one to be formed in Canada. This “Yankee notion” has also been transplanted to Germany and Sweden.
The Associated Artists, as first organized, was directed by Mrs. Wheeler and three gentlemen, artists like herself—Mrs. Wheeler having charge of the needlework department; one gentleman, of interior wood decoration; another, of glass painting, and the third, of the color scheme, painting, etc. They undertook the interior finish of rooms and houses upon entirely new decorative notions. Among their public undertakings, also, were the entire interior decoration of the Madison Square Theater, including the drop curtain; the finish of the “Veterans’ Room” in the Seventh Regiment Armory, and parts of the Union League Club House.
The business success of the Associated Artists grew on the managers. The educational and philanthropic aims were in danger of being overshadowed by the commercial consideration, and New York gave them abundant employment without their going into all the world and preaching the gospel of beauty and self-help to all women. Moreover, Mrs. Wheeler’s department in the work grew so rapidly and opened out possibilities of development and creation so great, that she decided to make it a special and separate enterprise. This she did three years ago, retaining the name, Associated Artists.
Success has vindicated the wisdom of the segregation, while the other members of the older organization have not suffered by the separation. From that time to the present the enterprise has been managed and worked by women only.
The gentlemen formerly of the Associated Artists are working on independent lines. The decoration of the new Lyceum Theater, New York, is the latest and greatest triumph of one of them.
The Associated Artists now have to do with decoration as using or applied to textile fabrics, including as well all upholstery as the hangings, draperies, tapestry and applied decoration of any part of a room. In the building which they occupy in East Twenty-third Street, there are large exhibition and salesrooms, the studios or designing rooms, the departments of embroidery, of tassels, fringes, etc., of tapestry, and the curtain department—an entire floor. There are about sixty employes.
This is an art school as well as a business house. Many women come to them with no other preparatory training than the drawing lessons of our public schools afford. The best talent is furnished by the Women’s Art School of Cooper Union. Aside from such preparation, the Associated Artists furnish the education of their own designers and workers. Unendowed, small, modest and young as it is, we shall see in what respects this American school has outstripped the great English institution.
One of the most serious obstacles that the effort to create American design has had to meet, is the lack of suitable materials to work with. All imported textiles were found to be, in color, texture and pattern, unsuited to the new uses and ideas; and American manufacturers were so much under tutelage to European tastes, that nothing different was to be had from them. It is a fact as lamentable as it is astonishing, that a carpet, wall paper or textile mill in this country rarely has an American designer of patterns and colors. The schemes of color made by the Associated Artists were out of harmony with French, English and American fabrics and embroidery materials. The colors of these were too sharp, strong and cardinal for the blending of tones that was sought.
To meet this case a Massachusetts silk mill was engaged to manufacture, first embroidery silks of the desired shades; and, that being accomplished, to undertake the coloring of fabrics. The greater step to the manufacture of special fabrics was next taken. Now the Associated Artists use only materials made for them in this country.