To both parents from Bertha – March, 1913 (Approx.)
Dear Mamma and Papa,
I have a fate pursuing me into all sorts of queer experiences. Tonight I have been at the first reading of a play under the instruction of a professional actor and with three or four professionals in a cast of eight. I am a young man in a morality play to be given for the benefit of the club on April 17th and we expect to have a neat theater. I feel very odd indeed and hardly know how I will speak even my few lines but as the honor was thrust upon me, I will do my best and be thoughtful that the part is short. It is interesting to work with the others who are doing the big parts because they are real actresses though still studying. I am now practicing laughing. This is difficult to me inexperienced but Mr. Nath assures me it is perfectly simple.
I spoke to Mr. Drummond this morning about summer school. He will probably teach at _____, about two hours from here, but is engaged in some big mural decorations and so busy he can’t be sure whether he has time and teach. There is always a summer school at Woodstock. I have about made up my mind that I might go to summer school for a month or two anyway to get a little start at landscape. I have seen some of the work of students after a summer course that was very good, students who had only studied last year at the League and then gone to summer school with a year less preparation than I have now so I believe there is a lot to be had from it. Also two months at this end of the year when I am right in the work is worth four at the beginning after a vacation. I believe it would be a great help to me in working alone on landscape as I will have to do a good deal, from lack of models, if I could have a little start to get me through the most discouraging part of learning to paint with an _______ palette.
As you have suggested my staying another year if I thought best, I take it almost for granted that you will not object to my putting in a little while longer right now and then coming to you a few months later at the most. I am going to plan to stay a month at summer school anyway and make my arrangements accordingly, since I can’t hear from you immediately. I will receive an answer to this probably about the end of May which if I am not here will be immediately forwarded by Miss Newman to _____ or Woodstock and if you don’t want me to stay, will still have time to catch the July transport if you think best. I wish when you write you would tell me exactly what you think and when you want me to come. I don’t like to be long way from you and in a way, I had to put off my departure even a month because I hate delays and like to do things when I have said I would and of course I want to go home but on the other hand as far as I can see, from my present artwork, it seems a very little matter to add two or three months at the outside to my years’ work and I can see how much of a start I might to get in that time.
I will inquire into the matter of expense but do not believe it will be more expensive than here through I will have some tuition to pay and of course they always stick artist _____ in the matter of board even in the Coventry. I supposed board will be six or seven dollars a week but hope to take Evelyn Hope as a romantic so it might be less. Traveling expenses to and from will be slight as Mr. Drummond makes the trip in twice a week during the spring and fall to give criticisms. It is evidently a very short distance.
Work is going about as usual. I had a pretty good portrait this week and had another D. It was also a fair likeness. Next week, I intend to have another D, if possible, and a better portrait. Drawing is so easy for me that I get likeness much more readily than most in the class even of the advanced students. It is a great satisfaction to me and I believe I will make a portrait painter yet. It is a think I can gain a great deal in by myself I believe, though of course it goes slowly. I am gradually growing used to working in paint and I think after a while I would learn to forget about the ways and means and then I would do better character work. Now I have adopted a plan which seems small in a way but is giving me confidence. I chose a position in the room that interested me with a given model and made a much better portrait than usual, managing to grasp the big features of shadow masses for the first time. The next week the model was posed in much the same place and the same general masses held good. I chose almost identically the same place and did very much better as I understood the lighting pretty well. This week I tried it again. Next week if possible, I will use the same position and then if I feel thoroughly able to cope with the situation there, I will move with a great deal more confidence to a new spot and go at the problem from a new point of view. In the meantime, I have gained a great deal more confidence so I believe my idea has been worthwhile. I expect a letter from you tomorrow so I will write more later.
Your letter was quite shorthand so there is not much to answer. I hope you got the letter you were expecting from me. My roommates say I don’t do anything else but write home but I realized that that was hardly exact. I went last night to hear Faust a second time. It was Saturday night and standing room is only a dollar. I thought Faust was worth a dollar so I went again. Favrar and Gilly sang. Favrar was not as good as Destin whom I heard before but her acting was better as she looks the part. I like Faust better than any other opera I have heard. It is perfectly wonderful. Now I must close as my hair is wet and drippy and this has to go in the morning.
Love from Bertha
P.S. I guess I only want to stay a month longer.