Salt Lake Telegram | 1937-08-21 | Page 9 | WPA Director Sees Salt Lake as True Western Art Center

Find Beauty in Utahn's Work' !'!' ' : - hfnir - N t...;j OFFICIAL SEES ART IN SADDLE WORK E. J. Bird, left, and Holger Cahill WPA Director Sees Salt Lake As True Western Art Center - Holger Cahill Confers With E..J. Bird, State Chief, on Federal Work Scoffing at the belief Americans are not "art minded," Holger Cahill, national director of W P A art projects, Saturday urged Salt Lakers and Utahns to develop a "true western art center here." "How can it be said westerners are not interested in art, when cowboys spend long hours decorating their equipment and housewives produce quilts and other beautiful article such a can be seen in your museums," Mr. Cahill said. "What is needed is the develop-I develop-I ment of local art centers to en-jcoursge en-jcoursge the remarkable young talent tal-ent that has been uncovered by the WPA srt project." ' Mr. Cahill, who headquarters at Washington, conferred here Saturday Satur-day with E. J. Bird, state WPA art director. Mr. Cahill will visit the Springville art gallery before leaving leav-ing for Portland Sunday evening. "What Americana need to recall ia that great art Is not necessarily dead, but that art must be actively supported If it is to attain its creative crea-tive possibilities," Mr. Cahill contended. con-tended. , "Our nation could exist no more than a few days If it were operated on the same basis as art has been in this country," he charged. "What if 85 to 3 per cent of our national income went to foreign countries for products AO to 300 years old, while only g to 10 per cent was spent with living producers in our own land?" Examples of pioneer craft, weaving weav-ing designs, carvings, quilt patterns, cattle brands, silver inlay on bridles, saddle designs and other types of native art are being copied by Utah art project workers.