WILLIAM MERRITT CHASE...A FASCINATING AMERICAN ARTIST 

ONE OF MY FAVORITE AMERICAN ARTISTS IS WILLIAM MERRITT CHASE. HE HAS BEEN

DESCRIBED AS A NATURAL PERFORMER AND GREAT SHOWMAN, AS GREAT A SELF

PROMOTER, AS HE WAS AN ARTIST. HIS CHARISMATIC TRAITS ASSURED HIM A DEVOTED 

FOLLOWING OF STUDENTS, AMONG THEM GEORGIA O'KEEFFE, CHARLES HAWTHORNE, JOSEPH STELLA AND ROCKWELL KENT.

HERE'S ONE OF HIS QUOTES:

"...THE AIM OF EVERY GREAT ARTIST, AS FAR AS TECHNIQUE GOES, IS TO AS GREAT

     AN EXTENT AS POSSIBLE TO DO AWAY WITH THE INTERMISSION BETWEEN HIS

    HEAD AND HIS HAND...".

THIS ONE IS IS INTERESTING:

"THE PROFESSION OF THE ARTIST IS ONE OF THE MOST ANCIENT THAT WE KNOW,

AND AS I TELL MY STUDENTS ABOUT TO ENTER IT, THE MOST DIGNIFIED".