Framed!

Painting: (c) Lesley Powell 2018

I recently ran across a wonderful description of the role of a picture frame: "The art world equivalent of Ginger Rogers--in the sense of making the main attraction look good." (Thanks, J. Peder Zane and the New York Times). Zane goes on to note that the frame is the painting's "essential, but often ignored partner".  He points out that frames subtly shape the viewer's experience of the painting. I might say that sometimes the influence is NOT so subtle.

Painting (c) Lesley Powell

I must confess that I love painting paintings, but I hate the decisions involved in framing them. Would it be better to keep it very simple, or does the painting need a little bit more heft? Should it look rustic, or a bit gussied up? I might know how I would frame a painting for my personal viewing, but if the painting is going to a gallery, I wonder how it will fit with the other works there. And I wonder whether the frame will be a plus or a minus in the eyes of visitors to the gallery.

Painting (c) Lesley Powell

And then there are the whims of fashion and design to consider. As Zane notes, over time, each generation has selected its own frame style to match its sensibilities. Nowadays, the style switches occur far more frequently than once a generation. Sometimes it seems like constant flux. As Heidi Klum says on Project Runway, "One day you're in; the next day you're out." Sad but true.

Example of frame for a work on paper

I suspect that I am not alone in my dread of the framing process. There is something about the life of a painting on the easel that comes into jeopardy when the framing starts. To quote Elizabeth Easton (Director of The Center for Curatorial Leadership):  "In some ways, a painting never looks more beautiful than when it is on its easel, and the artist takes his brush away for the last time. And the frame is part of leaving that moment".

Painting (c) Lesley Powell

So the struggle goes on--to select the Ginger Rogers of frames--just the right one, the one that will enhance the painting, rather than detract from it. To find a frame that  keeps the painting alive, rather than smothering it. I'm illustrating this post with photos of frames I have loved over the years. It's always a thrill when a painting seems to be elevated by its frame, a synergy for which I am constantly striving.  I'd love to hear your own thoughts about framing...

Undertones

Undertones. Hmmm, sounds a little bit sinister, doesn't it?  But toning a canvas before starting to apply paint is anything but! In fact, for most painters, it's an essential first step in the painting process. (For the uninitiated, "toning" a canvas refers to putting a thin layer of color down on the raw white canvas, as shown in the top photo). 

There are many different reasons that painters tone their canvases. Here are a few:

Photo from Bill Guffey

(1) Some painters use a medium value, neutral, gray tone, so that when they start to apply color, they can readily compare

An Artful Heist

"Woman--Ochre"
40 x 30, Oil on Canvas
William de Kooning, 1955

Who doesn't love a good whodunnit? The latest high profile art heist revolves around a quiet, unassuming couple who lived in a small town in New Mexico. Mr. and Mrs. Alter both worked in public schools for most of their careers.  And yet when she died in 2017, what was found lurking behind their bedroom door, but a stolen William de Kooning painting, valued at a hefty $160 Million. Hmmmm.

The painting was stolen over thirty years ago from the Arizona Museum of Art in Tucson. A man and woman came to the Museum just before opening, and while the woman engaged the guard in conversation, the man went upstairs. When he came down, they left quickly. The guard, sensing something amiss, went upstairs, and discovered that the de Kooning had been sliced out of its frame. This painting was a prized part of the Museum's collection, because de Kooning was a leading figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement. Abstract Expressionism emerged in the mid-20th century, and proved to be a defining element in American art history. It was distinguished by very dynamic, gestural (some might even say "wild") marks and brushstrokes, and by abstraction of the subject matter--both of which are evident in the stolen painting. 

Museum Officials examine the stolen painting

Decades elapsed with no clues of the painting's whereabouts. Then Mrs. Alter died. An estate sale was held, and an antiques dealer bought the contents of the Alter home for $2,000. As soon as the dealer displayed the "cool, mid-century painting" in his shop, customers starting remarking that it looked like a de Kooning. The antiques dealer did a little research, learned about the earlier theft, and called the Museum. The rest of the story fell into place quickly--the Museum authenticated the painting, the dealer returned it to the Museum, and the FBI began investigating. 

The FBI has declined comment, since the investigation is still pending. But--evidence has surfaced that the Alters were in Tucson the night before the theft; sunglasses and a scarf matching those worn by the woman thief have been found in Mrs. Alter's belongings; and the Alters drove a car like the one described by the guard as the getaway car. And there's more. One detail I found especially creepy is that Mr. Alter published a short story in which two people stole a valuable emerald from an art museum. The story ends with the emerald on display in an empty room, and this exclamation: "And two pairs of eyes are there, exclusively, to see it!". Does this give anybody else the absolute conviction that the Alters were the thieves??

Stolen de Kooning painting hiding behind the Alters' bedroom door

An art heist like this raises intriguing questions. There's virtually no way to sell a high profile  stolen work on the legitimate market. And you can't exactly show it off to your friends. The thief must act for the pure thrill of the conquest, or for the pure artistic enjoyment of the painting. Or perhaps for the power trip of having exclusive viewing rights. It does set one to wondering "Why?". 

To read more about the modus operandi and motivation of art thieves, here's a fascinating article from The Atlantic. Puzzle on...