FEMININE REFLECTIONS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 430, 11 August 1928, Page 23

FEMININE REFLECTIONS

THE ARTIST in photography

An infinite capacity lor taking pains j S ’a necessary attribute in any profession, but it is a strict necessity to dje artistic photographer. The innumerable delicate attle details attached to the technical side of the work mean that those who adopt the profession must have careful minds, iD d be systematic and patient. “ An extensive knowledge of art, both ancient and modern, is bound to be of , r eat help. Photography itself is halfsister to the painted picture, the etching and the sketch, and if one makes a conscious study of art one is bound to acquire knowledge of grouping, lighting and so on. These things are the foundations of the perfect photograph. Backgrounds, foregrounds and settings are of as much importance as the sitter. Since amateur photography has held such sway, most women have learned at least the rudiments of camera work. But, even with this A.B.C. of experience, the aspirant is likely to be successful If she goes Into the difficult and worrying period of training with a real desire to win through. As in most other professions, the training for artistic photography covers a fairly lengthy period, and the fees for tuition are a matter for consideration. But the aspirant is urged to make the necessary sacrifices if she really wants to do high-class work and has visions of ultimately possessing a studio of her own. The question of specialising must be decided by the individual. Some women make excellent portraits of children, but fail in other branches. Some have a penchant for “settings,” and for these the field of commercial photography, as applied solely to studies made for advertising purposes, is a verdant one and will produce both financial and artistic success, your own without the s mpp mm py If you do not possess a natural business ability do not start a studio of your own without the support of someone who can supply this deficiency. Commercial art needs to be backed by business acumen. G. ALLEN.

THE THINGS BEHIND CHINESE RUGS

A laud of deeply hidden, age-hol-lowed symbolism is China. Colour tbere is symbolical to a degree; and symbols, some of them so subtle and intricate as to be utterly inexplicable to an outsider, have crept into the patterns of garment and curtain and rug. Of rugs, perhaps, most of all. Rug-making in China began to be practised very early in history, but its fullest glory was reached during the seventeenth century, in the reign of the incomparable Emperor, Ch’ien Lung, who had the soul of a poet and the eye and touch of an artist. One wonders to-day if, after all, it was not his influence which prompted the rugweavers of China in his time to infuse so much poetry both into the pattern and the colouring of the rugs they made so slowly and patiently.. In colours they showed an almost ascetic economy. The shades now so prevalent ■> the world’s markets were either unknown or ignored. Three, sometimes four, shades of blue, and two or three of yellow, were used mostly. No tint was glaring, but its very mellowness was made to endure through centuries. They do not know what fading means, those old Chinese rugs. Blues are dark, gratefully, recedingly dark, though some weavers indulged in a quasi-turquoise hue, toning it down carefully, however. When choosing their yellows, they often went from the tenderest primrose to the deepest brown merging almost into red, and whenever you see this red note gliding through a pattern you may be sure that the rug was meant for some specially happy occasion. The Chinese interpreted joy in red tints; that is why they use so much red lacquer in their wedding gifts. That winningly simple design known as “swastika,” now copied all over the world, must have been used by those old weavers with the greatest reverence. It symbolises the sacred heart of Buddha, and while the expert hands were weaving it, the lips were supposed to utter prayers. The heart of Buddha, woven in a continuous pattern, was believed to work never-end-ing happiness both for the weaver and the prospective owner. Another design, somewhat similar and known as the key design, would remind the weaver of the sea and its ever-chang-ing moods. But from these more or less simple and severe patterns the Chinese weaver’s rich fancy would often turn to th other symbols, interpreted by the flowers and trees in his own garden. With a minute loyalty to he intricate detail, he w —ld weave blossoms of thpeach tree and the pear tree and the cherry tree. Of these the peach was the most favoured, since it symbolised

AIDS FOR THE HOME Among the new labour saving devices is a special type of iron which automatically switches off when a toohigh temperature is reached. A novel feature is the rounded heel, which enables the iron to be moved backwards without wrinkling the material under it. It weighs 61b only, and can be connected with an alternating current. With an ingenious device which can be attached to any electric vacuum cleaner, it is now possible to paint the house, furniture, and car without using brushes. The small container has only to be filled with paint and attached to the hose of the cleaner for a fine even spray to be distributed over the piece, leaving a surface much more even than that to be obtained by the use of a brush. The attachment can also be used to spray oil, disinfectant, or other liquid. Another useful novelty is a combined milk heater and water boiler. It is shaped like a small saucepan, and the milk bottle stands in the centre, surrounded by water. The bottle has a rubber feeding cap, and is of specially tempered glass marked in divisions. With an additional lid, which is supplied, the saucepan can be used to boil water only.

endless life. And cherry-blossom would stand for rippling laughter. Often when the birds sang through the summer days, tbe weaver would be inclined to work the lotus flowers into his rug, because to him they stood for the riches and the fragrances of summer. There was not one flower but that carried its own meaning, and people who came to possess the rugs remembered the symbols.

THE KITCHEN CORNER LITTLE CHEESE CUSTARDS This is an excellent savoury. Take three ounces of dry Cheddar cheese and grate it very finely. Beat up two eggs with a litlte salt, cayenne, and made mustard. Heat half a pint of milk, and pour it on to the egg mixture. Mix in the custards. Divide the mixture into ramikins, sprinkle with the cheese, stand the ramikins in a tin with water halfway up, and bake in a moderate oven until the custard is set and brown. Serve in the ramikins with toast fingers. ABBEY PUDDING Well grease a pudding basin, sprinkle it with castor sugar, and stick glace cherries, cut in rings all round it. Beat together two ounces of butter and two ounces of castor sugar until they are white and creamy. Add two well beaten eggs, and mix thoroughly. Put into this mixture four teaspoonfuls of ground almonds, then add two ounces of flour and a pinch each of baking powder and salt (previously sieved together). Pour this preparation into the basin, cover with greased paper, and steam for one hour. Turn out, and serve with jam sauce made as follows: Boil together four dessertspoonfuls of raspberry or strawberry jam, four dessertspoonfuls of granulated sugar, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, and one gill of water. Strain the sauce, return to the pan, and add a teaspoonful of arrowroot mixed smooth with a little cold water. Stir until the mixture thickens, and serve separately. Sufficient for four persons. LEMON SOUFFLE Mix the grated rind of one lemon with one tablespoonful of sugar. Melt one ounce of butter, add one ounce of flour, and stir over gentle heat for two minutes, without allowing them to brown. Pour in one and a-half gills of milk, and stir until the mixture becomes smooth and begins to draw away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the fire, add a pinch of salt and the lemon and sugar mixture, with one teaspoonful of lemon juice. Now add the yolks of three eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well between each addition. At the last moment fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the three eggs, threeparts fill a greased souffle dish with the preparation, and bake in a good oven until the souffle rises and becomes nicely browned. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, and serve at once.

TO RE-PROOF A WATERPROOF COAT

Well rub beeswax into the inside of the coat, paying special attention to the seams and places where creases occur. When the material is well covered, iron with a hot iron until the wax has thoroughly soaked in. The coat will then be quite waterproof.